CASE: BREWING SUSPICION MONTH 2
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Fire
Roll: 77
The streets are deserted of people. It's hours before daybreak, too early for even the most dedicated workers to prepare for the day. The only people awake are those who work through the night - such would be the assumption for anyone looking upon the third-story window of the Port Authority's office.
Never mind the fact that the Treasurer General had been at a completely different location for hours, awaiting Besim.
In some senses, that's fortunate. It means that there's no one in the closed office when the candlelight gets a little too intense.
But it also means that no one is watching the fire. Not even you, after you made a quick exit once you had set up the fire.
So that means no one is there to control it when the flames eagerly eat away at the loose papers inside the office. No one is there to control it when the fires turn the room into a blazing inferno. No one is there to watch it as the fires leap to the pitch-soaked roof berms and through the doors. No one is there to watch the fire as it runs along the carpets and the walls of the financial office.
No one is there to watch the fire until the entire financial office is ablaze, a dawn five hours too early.
By that point, it's almost too late. The fire, fueled by the all the paperwork and tapestry inside the financial office leaps buildings, as the ashen structural supports can no longer support the weight of the tiled roof. The wood, already merrily ablaze, creaks and collapses. The roof begins crashing down to the sounds of endless ceramic shattering.
The flames catch. The waterproofing slathered on the corners of the buildings turns into the most perfect fuel for the fire to race upwards on, cooking the inside of the building surely but slowly. People stream out of the buildings, at first slowly and then as fast as possible once the scent of nearby burnt pitch catches their nose.
The flames penetrate inside the building, fueled both by the external support fires, and the collapsing office sending hot, flaming debris through the wall.
The flames consume. The flames consume. The flames consume.
Finally, four hours later, with adventurers and priests streaming into corral and contain the fires, the fires are prevented from consuming any other buildings, before collapsing in on itself. Nearly every building on the street of the financial office had burned down before the fire had been contained, as well as a handful of other buildings across the street.
No one knows how many lives were lost.
Due to increased suspicion and tightened security, the DC for intrigue against the Port Authority has increased one point.
Martial
DC: 10. Roll: 16 + 9.2 = 25.2
Based on the recommendations of your previous month's work, you decide to simply hire the services of the Ainsworth Company. A respectable band of thirty-or-so well equipped fighters, they did not count any adventurers among their ranks, and they had parted with their merchant house on good terms. This left them with no outstanding obligations, and while this meant that they would perhaps have less combat power than hiring a mid to high-tier adventurer, they would at least be a force strong enough to make your enemies think twice about naked aggression.
For now, that's all you need.
Diplo
DC: 20. Roll: 17 + 0.8 = 17.8 - 3 = 14.8
You attempt to help schedule a few meetings for Cormag to meet with prominent members of the local nobility, but he is stonewalled and brushed off, the local nobles too busy being concerned about what to do after a huge chunk of the business district has gone up in flames. You're sure that they're undoubtedly jockeying for position after the fire, but your problem is that you have no access to whatever it is they're doing, and you want to know.
It makes you almost tempted to try to start knocking in person, or at least, come at them with investigative warrants rather than simple requests to chat.
Intrigue
DC: 27. Roll: 22 + 3 + 1.5 = 26.5 - 3 = 23.5
Actually prodding into his secret places means that you and Kerrie have to tail Besim much more closely, just when he started stepping up his security; you're not sure of what went down in the meeting, aside from the Port Authority deciding to give him just a little bit more adventurer support. He's constantly on alert, watching out for the threats in the shadows and making offerings to his spirits to avoid whatever bout of madness afflicted him so miserably last month.
He wanders the city, headed to meet with the local clergy and some of the nobility, and dammit the little shit had probably helped sabotage your efforts there - something was wrong. This wasn't anywhere on Besim's normal route, and the adventurers that would normally be near or around him were missing.
You signal Kerrie to stop. You check your blind spots. All of sudden, movement in the corners of your eye stops.
Shit. It's an ambush.
Quietly, you signal Kerrie: Plan C. Regroup outside the city at the predetermined landmark. Assume active pursuit, and lose your pursuers.
You vanish.
It is an agonizing four hour wait.
Due to increased security and spotted enemies, the DC for intrigue against Besim has raised one point.
Learning
DC: 25. Roll: 20 + 2.5
The Gnarled Rod turns about to be more temperamental than expected, giving off different readings from day to day. Tekla's not completely sure what's happening with the readings, but if he had to guess the differences in measurement are probably because of the aftershocks of the Port Fire - give it some more time and the readings should stabilize, he claims.
Well, that's great and all, but you don't have that map in your hands and it's not helping you out yet.
Stewardship
DC: 22. Roll: 22 + 2.5 = 24.5
At least the one thing that does go right is securing better lodging, letting you stretch your legs and stash some of these documents somewhere other than the inside of your skull. Tekla actually has a workspace, Cormag has a shrine, and Kerrie...Kerrie has a stash of money and food hidden under her bed.
Hm. Something to keep an eye on.
Piety
DC: 23. Roll: 20 + 1.7 + 2 (Gnarled Rod) = 23.7
You take back every bad thing you've ever said about the Gnarled Rod. You can't believe anyone would ever just let the components for this thing slip out of their hands. You had almost dismissed it too, but some clever thinking and quick talk had gotten a sailor to let you on board their ship temporarily.
The moment you step on board, the Gnarled Rod feels weightier, and immmediately signals the spirit of the ship. The ship itself notices, and...groans in happiness?
Regardless, a conversation is quickly struck up; offerings enacted, blessings granted, and when you step off the ship you have a temporary blessing of merchants and travelers, while both of you are in the city.
The sailors themselves are ecstatic; finding a ship spirit is considered a sign of tremendous luck, and will certainly bless them in the days ahead.
For this turn only, your party has +1 Diplo and +1 Stewardship.
Random Event Roll: 42
One of the things you hear through the grapevine is that a new set of taxes are coming down the line, temporarily imposed to help pay for the Crusade. Oddly enough, the common worker is happy - and then you reread the tax, and you realize it disproportionately fell upon the nobles. While you're certain the nobility is quite mad about this, apparently some of the staunched resistance was from the Gorlin delegation - the delegation that rushed home when they found out the Port Authority financial office had gone up in flames.
At this, you can't help but feel the same sense of happiness that they felt. Finally, nobility starting to pay a fairer burden of taxes.
You weren't expecting this this early. You might actually be able to rationalize the tax system this century.
Cost of Living: 6 Budget.
Net Loss for Month Two: 15 Budget.
Remaining Balance: 174 Budget.
You have warm food, a warm bed, and space to stretch your legs. Although last month did not go as well as you would have liked, you're still on track to achieve your goals; that lucky break last month had pushed you way ahead of schedule, so you could afford some delays. Really, just about the only thing that was hurt was your team's pride.
It hurt like a bitch.
The itinerant laborers were coming in this month, so it'd be worth keeping an eye out for how that might affect things; it was definitely a good idea to move out of the damp and cramped living space this month.
Same deal as last month. You're starting to prepare for the actual arrest, so feel free to spend some money to make things happen.
This turn, you may spend up to 20 Budget.
You have one [Free] Action that you may spend on an action in any category.
You can cooperate with your teammates to add +3 base stat to an action that you are cooperating on. It is represented by using your [Free] Action on one of your already-selected Actions.
Martial (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Martial] Power Base
Securing yourself a nice team of mercenaries should make you both much safer and much more difficult to intimidate. You already have the Ainsworth company on retainer, but more armed soldiers under your command certainly can't hurt. DC: 15. Cost: 3 Budget.
[] [Martial] Energy Spike
The real strength in this city is concentrated in the hands of the adventurers. That means that if you want some of that power, you'll have to pay some real coin for their services. Certainly, now would be a good time to go for it, while the adventurers still have don't have the choice of hopping on the trade ships for loot and adventure. DC: 20. Cost: 10 Budget.
[] [Martial] Late Collections
Alright, you know. Time to collect your overdue taxes from the Port Authority, by force if necessary. DC: 40. Gains: Budget???
[] [Martial] Searching For Answers
You have back up, you have an official writ from the King, and you have you. Time to officially start kicking down some doors and getting some real answers. Requires Going Loud. DC: 17. Cost: 2 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Cormag Action}
[] [Diplo] The Educated Society
You can start working your way into the educated circles around town, which will help you figure out whose else's books you need to be in, and whose lawyers may be able to to help you take down the Count. DC: 13. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Diplo] Prepaid Neutrality
You're not asking for much. You're just asking for one day of latitude, which you will guarantee will not affect their other business. One day, where they won't make a fight much harder than it needs to be. Simple, right? DC: 27. Cost: 8 Budget.
[] [Diplo] The Merchants
The Port Authority is screwing the merchants over badly, taxing them on the Luxury Tax for importing tea multiple times, if they're disfavored. If you can acquire some testimony that the merchants are being taxed on the Luxury Tax and falsely reporting it, that makes your case all the stronger. DC: 15. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Diplo] The Noble Society
Now that you have evidence of wrongdoing, you're going to need to work your way around the nobles, and to find out who the Count's allies are - so that you can take this opportunity to start cutting them all away. DC: 20. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplo] Going Loud
Screw this cloak and dagger bullshit. Your enemies know you're here, but their enemies don't know they have a potential ally. You're going to fix that by announcing that the King's Ministry is here to conduct an inspection on the Port Authority. DC: 10. Cost: 4 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Intrigue] Cutting the Line Part I
It'd take forever to figure out whose judicial system you'd be falling into to prosecute the Count Lucilius Belluomo and his conspirators. However, what if you just skipped that step by creating a new judicial district for this crime? You'd have to find a patsy, give them money to procure a venal office, and then make it understood that they are to pronounce them guilty, but if it succeeds, you might literally shave years off of the process. But first, you'll have to find an acceptable patsy...which might be a problem. DC: 28 Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Screw Besim
You gave him a little bit of leeway last time, and he nearly got you. No more of that. Make it hard for him to do anything, and in general completely embarass him. DC: 23. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Screw the Port Authority
Alright, you know who you need to target now. Best to start making their lives hell in order to take away their chances to do that to you. DC: 26. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Plant Evidence
If you're not satisfied with the state of your evidence, maybe it's best to plant some incriminating stuff. Though...if you planted The Box of Frames and got away with it...well, suffice it to say you could make a problem go away with extreme prejudice. DC: 19/29. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Uproot Besim's Cache
You need to find the really incriminating stuff in Besim's cache, the kind that you can actually nail a man of the cloth to the cross for. That's going to take some doing. Worse, they're onto your scent; they know someone's coming for this stuff. DC: 29. Cost: 0 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Magical Mapping
You've started mapping out the city's magical flow with the Gnarled Rod, but there turned out to be some unexpected implementation issues. This time, you should have better luck. DC: 23. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Learning] Calamitous Inquiries
You impress that these inquiries need to be secret, and Tekla completly understands. If someone or some divine entity figures out why you're asking questions about Calamity Frames and Armors, you're screwed. But all the same...you need to understand. DC: 23. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Learning] Residue Analysis
Tekla's mentioned in the past that it is generally possible to determine whether some things have the same alchemical properties. You still don't have an ironclad case that "chai" is "tea"; Tekla may be able to verify that those are two separate labels for the same thing. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Stew] Document Analysis
With documents in hand, you can spend some time to really tease out the details of what happened when and where, which may promise to give you far more information than just the raw numbers. DC: ??? (Scaling). Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stew] Market Analysis
You can simply buy ledgers and market prices off of merchants. Getting an idea of who's buying what at what price can only help you blow this case wide open. DC: 15. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Stew] Just Look Up the Jurisdiction Part I
Ugh. The legal system is a complicated hellhole, but you're fairly sure you can get started on figuring out which court and which judge you need to start preparing to bribe in order to get your verdict. Knowing your target's the Count makes things easier and harder. Easier, because there's less court rulings you have to go through. Harder, because it means you're going to have to find a pliable noble. DC: 28. Cost: 2 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Piety] Local Spirits
Offering tribute to local spirits as per local custom might actually get them to respond, which would help with literally everything. Problem is, this is a port city, so all the local spirits are greedy little fucks, not that you'll ever admit thinking that out loud. DC: 25. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Piety] Wandering Spirits
Okay, so this is a little interesting. The Gnarled Rod seems to be suggesting that the sailors coming in have brought their own wandering spirits with them; spirits who may be amenable to an exchange, at better rates than the native spirits to the city. DC: 23. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Piety] Spirit of the Ships
Now that you've confirmed that the Gnarled Rod can actually tease out ship spirits, well, that's an excellent opportunity to put out services advertising your ability to locate and give offerings to ship spirits...for a reasonable price, of course. DC: 25. Gain: 8 Budget.
[] [Piety] National Spirits
This is a bit of a long-shot, because most of the big-name spirits also have big-name projects and priests so attuned to them that they are almost mortal extensions of divine will. That said, it's not out of the possibility that you might be able to contact them, and get them to send a word of advice or two. DC: 28. Cost: 0 Budget.
Roll: 77
The streets are deserted of people. It's hours before daybreak, too early for even the most dedicated workers to prepare for the day. The only people awake are those who work through the night - such would be the assumption for anyone looking upon the third-story window of the Port Authority's office.
Never mind the fact that the Treasurer General had been at a completely different location for hours, awaiting Besim.
In some senses, that's fortunate. It means that there's no one in the closed office when the candlelight gets a little too intense.
But it also means that no one is watching the fire. Not even you, after you made a quick exit once you had set up the fire.
So that means no one is there to control it when the flames eagerly eat away at the loose papers inside the office. No one is there to control it when the fires turn the room into a blazing inferno. No one is there to watch it as the fires leap to the pitch-soaked roof berms and through the doors. No one is there to watch the fire as it runs along the carpets and the walls of the financial office.
No one is there to watch the fire until the entire financial office is ablaze, a dawn five hours too early.
By that point, it's almost too late. The fire, fueled by the all the paperwork and tapestry inside the financial office leaps buildings, as the ashen structural supports can no longer support the weight of the tiled roof. The wood, already merrily ablaze, creaks and collapses. The roof begins crashing down to the sounds of endless ceramic shattering.
The flames catch. The waterproofing slathered on the corners of the buildings turns into the most perfect fuel for the fire to race upwards on, cooking the inside of the building surely but slowly. People stream out of the buildings, at first slowly and then as fast as possible once the scent of nearby burnt pitch catches their nose.
The flames penetrate inside the building, fueled both by the external support fires, and the collapsing office sending hot, flaming debris through the wall.
The flames consume. The flames consume. The flames consume.
Finally, four hours later, with adventurers and priests streaming into corral and contain the fires, the fires are prevented from consuming any other buildings, before collapsing in on itself. Nearly every building on the street of the financial office had burned down before the fire had been contained, as well as a handful of other buildings across the street.
No one knows how many lives were lost.
Due to increased suspicion and tightened security, the DC for intrigue against the Port Authority has increased one point.
Martial
DC: 10. Roll: 16 + 9.2 = 25.2
Based on the recommendations of your previous month's work, you decide to simply hire the services of the Ainsworth Company. A respectable band of thirty-or-so well equipped fighters, they did not count any adventurers among their ranks, and they had parted with their merchant house on good terms. This left them with no outstanding obligations, and while this meant that they would perhaps have less combat power than hiring a mid to high-tier adventurer, they would at least be a force strong enough to make your enemies think twice about naked aggression.
For now, that's all you need.
Diplo
DC: 20. Roll: 17 + 0.8 = 17.8 - 3 = 14.8
You attempt to help schedule a few meetings for Cormag to meet with prominent members of the local nobility, but he is stonewalled and brushed off, the local nobles too busy being concerned about what to do after a huge chunk of the business district has gone up in flames. You're sure that they're undoubtedly jockeying for position after the fire, but your problem is that you have no access to whatever it is they're doing, and you want to know.
It makes you almost tempted to try to start knocking in person, or at least, come at them with investigative warrants rather than simple requests to chat.
Intrigue
DC: 27. Roll: 22 + 3 + 1.5 = 26.5 - 3 = 23.5
Actually prodding into his secret places means that you and Kerrie have to tail Besim much more closely, just when he started stepping up his security; you're not sure of what went down in the meeting, aside from the Port Authority deciding to give him just a little bit more adventurer support. He's constantly on alert, watching out for the threats in the shadows and making offerings to his spirits to avoid whatever bout of madness afflicted him so miserably last month.
He wanders the city, headed to meet with the local clergy and some of the nobility, and dammit the little shit had probably helped sabotage your efforts there - something was wrong. This wasn't anywhere on Besim's normal route, and the adventurers that would normally be near or around him were missing.
You signal Kerrie to stop. You check your blind spots. All of sudden, movement in the corners of your eye stops.
Shit. It's an ambush.
Quietly, you signal Kerrie: Plan C. Regroup outside the city at the predetermined landmark. Assume active pursuit, and lose your pursuers.
You vanish.
It is an agonizing four hour wait.
Due to increased security and spotted enemies, the DC for intrigue against Besim has raised one point.
Learning
DC: 25. Roll: 20 + 2.5
The Gnarled Rod turns about to be more temperamental than expected, giving off different readings from day to day. Tekla's not completely sure what's happening with the readings, but if he had to guess the differences in measurement are probably because of the aftershocks of the Port Fire - give it some more time and the readings should stabilize, he claims.
Well, that's great and all, but you don't have that map in your hands and it's not helping you out yet.
Stewardship
DC: 22. Roll: 22 + 2.5 = 24.5
At least the one thing that does go right is securing better lodging, letting you stretch your legs and stash some of these documents somewhere other than the inside of your skull. Tekla actually has a workspace, Cormag has a shrine, and Kerrie...Kerrie has a stash of money and food hidden under her bed.
Hm. Something to keep an eye on.
Piety
DC: 23. Roll: 20 + 1.7 + 2 (Gnarled Rod) = 23.7
You take back every bad thing you've ever said about the Gnarled Rod. You can't believe anyone would ever just let the components for this thing slip out of their hands. You had almost dismissed it too, but some clever thinking and quick talk had gotten a sailor to let you on board their ship temporarily.
The moment you step on board, the Gnarled Rod feels weightier, and immmediately signals the spirit of the ship. The ship itself notices, and...groans in happiness?
Regardless, a conversation is quickly struck up; offerings enacted, blessings granted, and when you step off the ship you have a temporary blessing of merchants and travelers, while both of you are in the city.
The sailors themselves are ecstatic; finding a ship spirit is considered a sign of tremendous luck, and will certainly bless them in the days ahead.
For this turn only, your party has +1 Diplo and +1 Stewardship.
Random Event Roll: 42
One of the things you hear through the grapevine is that a new set of taxes are coming down the line, temporarily imposed to help pay for the Crusade. Oddly enough, the common worker is happy - and then you reread the tax, and you realize it disproportionately fell upon the nobles. While you're certain the nobility is quite mad about this, apparently some of the staunched resistance was from the Gorlin delegation - the delegation that rushed home when they found out the Port Authority financial office had gone up in flames.
At this, you can't help but feel the same sense of happiness that they felt. Finally, nobility starting to pay a fairer burden of taxes.
You weren't expecting this this early. You might actually be able to rationalize the tax system this century.
Cost of Living: 6 Budget.
Net Loss for Month Two: 15 Budget.
Remaining Balance: 174 Budget.
You have warm food, a warm bed, and space to stretch your legs. Although last month did not go as well as you would have liked, you're still on track to achieve your goals; that lucky break last month had pushed you way ahead of schedule, so you could afford some delays. Really, just about the only thing that was hurt was your team's pride.
It hurt like a bitch.
The itinerant laborers were coming in this month, so it'd be worth keeping an eye out for how that might affect things; it was definitely a good idea to move out of the damp and cramped living space this month.
Same deal as last month. You're starting to prepare for the actual arrest, so feel free to spend some money to make things happen.
This turn, you may spend up to 20 Budget.
You have one [Free] Action that you may spend on an action in any category.
You can cooperate with your teammates to add +3 base stat to an action that you are cooperating on. It is represented by using your [Free] Action on one of your already-selected Actions.
Martial (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Martial] Power Base
Securing yourself a nice team of mercenaries should make you both much safer and much more difficult to intimidate. You already have the Ainsworth company on retainer, but more armed soldiers under your command certainly can't hurt. DC: 15. Cost: 3 Budget.
[] [Martial] Energy Spike
The real strength in this city is concentrated in the hands of the adventurers. That means that if you want some of that power, you'll have to pay some real coin for their services. Certainly, now would be a good time to go for it, while the adventurers still have don't have the choice of hopping on the trade ships for loot and adventure. DC: 20. Cost: 10 Budget.
[] [Martial] Late Collections
Alright, you know. Time to collect your overdue taxes from the Port Authority, by force if necessary. DC: 40. Gains: Budget???
[] [Martial] Searching For Answers
You have back up, you have an official writ from the King, and you have you. Time to officially start kicking down some doors and getting some real answers. Requires Going Loud. DC: 17. Cost: 2 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Cormag Action}
[] [Diplo] The Educated Society
You can start working your way into the educated circles around town, which will help you figure out whose else's books you need to be in, and whose lawyers may be able to to help you take down the Count. DC: 13. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Diplo] Prepaid Neutrality
You're not asking for much. You're just asking for one day of latitude, which you will guarantee will not affect their other business. One day, where they won't make a fight much harder than it needs to be. Simple, right? DC: 27. Cost: 8 Budget.
[] [Diplo] The Merchants
The Port Authority is screwing the merchants over badly, taxing them on the Luxury Tax for importing tea multiple times, if they're disfavored. If you can acquire some testimony that the merchants are being taxed on the Luxury Tax and falsely reporting it, that makes your case all the stronger. DC: 15. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Diplo] The Noble Society
Now that you have evidence of wrongdoing, you're going to need to work your way around the nobles, and to find out who the Count's allies are - so that you can take this opportunity to start cutting them all away. DC: 20. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplo] Going Loud
Screw this cloak and dagger bullshit. Your enemies know you're here, but their enemies don't know they have a potential ally. You're going to fix that by announcing that the King's Ministry is here to conduct an inspection on the Port Authority. DC: 10. Cost: 4 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Intrigue] Cutting the Line Part I
It'd take forever to figure out whose judicial system you'd be falling into to prosecute the Count Lucilius Belluomo and his conspirators. However, what if you just skipped that step by creating a new judicial district for this crime? You'd have to find a patsy, give them money to procure a venal office, and then make it understood that they are to pronounce them guilty, but if it succeeds, you might literally shave years off of the process. But first, you'll have to find an acceptable patsy...which might be a problem. DC: 28 Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Screw Besim
You gave him a little bit of leeway last time, and he nearly got you. No more of that. Make it hard for him to do anything, and in general completely embarass him. DC: 23. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Screw the Port Authority
Alright, you know who you need to target now. Best to start making their lives hell in order to take away their chances to do that to you. DC: 26. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Plant Evidence
If you're not satisfied with the state of your evidence, maybe it's best to plant some incriminating stuff. Though...if you planted The Box of Frames and got away with it...well, suffice it to say you could make a problem go away with extreme prejudice. DC: 19/29. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Uproot Besim's Cache
You need to find the really incriminating stuff in Besim's cache, the kind that you can actually nail a man of the cloth to the cross for. That's going to take some doing. Worse, they're onto your scent; they know someone's coming for this stuff. DC: 29. Cost: 0 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Magical Mapping
You've started mapping out the city's magical flow with the Gnarled Rod, but there turned out to be some unexpected implementation issues. This time, you should have better luck. DC: 23. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Learning] Calamitous Inquiries
You impress that these inquiries need to be secret, and Tekla completly understands. If someone or some divine entity figures out why you're asking questions about Calamity Frames and Armors, you're screwed. But all the same...you need to understand. DC: 23. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Learning] Residue Analysis
Tekla's mentioned in the past that it is generally possible to determine whether some things have the same alchemical properties. You still don't have an ironclad case that "chai" is "tea"; Tekla may be able to verify that those are two separate labels for the same thing. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Stew] Document Analysis
With documents in hand, you can spend some time to really tease out the details of what happened when and where, which may promise to give you far more information than just the raw numbers. DC: ??? (Scaling). Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stew] Market Analysis
You can simply buy ledgers and market prices off of merchants. Getting an idea of who's buying what at what price can only help you blow this case wide open. DC: 15. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Stew] Just Look Up the Jurisdiction Part I
Ugh. The legal system is a complicated hellhole, but you're fairly sure you can get started on figuring out which court and which judge you need to start preparing to bribe in order to get your verdict. Knowing your target's the Count makes things easier and harder. Easier, because there's less court rulings you have to go through. Harder, because it means you're going to have to find a pliable noble. DC: 28. Cost: 2 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Agueda Action}
[] [Piety] Local Spirits
Offering tribute to local spirits as per local custom might actually get them to respond, which would help with literally everything. Problem is, this is a port city, so all the local spirits are greedy little fucks, not that you'll ever admit thinking that out loud. DC: 25. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Piety] Wandering Spirits
Okay, so this is a little interesting. The Gnarled Rod seems to be suggesting that the sailors coming in have brought their own wandering spirits with them; spirits who may be amenable to an exchange, at better rates than the native spirits to the city. DC: 23. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Piety] Spirit of the Ships
Now that you've confirmed that the Gnarled Rod can actually tease out ship spirits, well, that's an excellent opportunity to put out services advertising your ability to locate and give offerings to ship spirits...for a reasonable price, of course. DC: 25. Gain: 8 Budget.
[] [Piety] National Spirits
This is a bit of a long-shot, because most of the big-name spirits also have big-name projects and priests so attuned to them that they are almost mortal extensions of divine will. That said, it's not out of the possibility that you might be able to contact them, and get them to send a word of advice or two. DC: 28. Cost: 0 Budget.
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