We got another late start as we waited to get up to 3 out of 4. BTO was unavailable. We were still stuck on the same evening we came into town. DG wanted to let the day go and take on the crypt in the morning. Paul wanted to do a few more things on the accountant/election track. Dan expressed no opinions. The GM sort of became the tie breaker. After Oakwood convinced TerStegan to end the day, Amica showed up at our doorstep. She was worried about her father. These accountants were giving him lots of advice and money for this election and she feared he was in over his head. TerStegan told her our suspicions but unfortunately, she had no hard evidence either. She agreed to keep her ears open and let us know if she hears anything. So, it was back to that track. It occurred to Oakwood that the Menhemes mill was just as critical to the town as the log flume so we went over there to talk to TerStegan’s adopted father. His advice was to attack the accountants and spread their blood as a warning to other troublemakers. Oh, if it were only that easy. He agreed to keep an extra watch on the mill. Captain Longsaddle had already increased the patrols on the log flume itself.
We next went to talk to the mayor. TerStegan wanted him to know what we suspected even if we had no proof. He, at least, listened but could not act without proof. The only resources he had were Longsaddle and the guards and they were already engaged. One bit of information we got was that the Kartos Consortium was a big logging company from outside of Otari. We finally had their motive. To bankrupt the town and take over. Osef was more worried about his upcoming speech. TerStegan gave him some tips, making a good Performance check. When asked if he had any thoughts on other key spots at risk of sabotage, his first thought was the holy symbol. Since it was the sign of his authority, he decided to always keep it with him until the election. So much for unlocking the crypt with it. We were committed to the election, at least for now. He did suggest the DawnFlower library might be a target as well since it held all the town’s old records. I think the day finally ended.
The next day was the last day before the election. We all got one skill roll to have some sort of impact. TerStegan wanted to use Performance to write another jingle that would stick in people’s heads. The GM wanted to know if it was to be pro-Osef or anti-Carmine. He went with anti-Carmine and at the GM’s suggestion, it was about him being clumsy and therefore not fit. (I think that was more Brian’s idea than Paul’s.) He rolled modestly and then used a hero point and rolled great. Oakwood used Crafting to make signs and such. (Acrobatics wasn’t going to cut it.) He rolled middle of the road and had little impact but at least didn’t do any harm. Dan had no interest in any of it. Oakwood then suggested TerStegan do something about Carmine being under undue influence from outsiders. We can’t prove anything but we can start a rumor. Although he had already had his roll, the GM gave him another. He rolled a 1, and it backfired. So much for roleplaying in a d20 game. Other than that, we patrolled around town, on the lookout for trouble. Brisco showed up around then. I think he turned into a tree to guard something through the night. But there were no more attacks. We successfully grinded past another day.
Election day. TerStegan and Oakwood voted early so that they could patrol for the rest of the day. The accountants stopped by to see the “quaint” voting customs of a small town. Oakwood noted that the Tengu seemed to be “casing the joint” looking at entry points. But then they left. Oakwood talked to the chief guard. Evidently, they were just going to leave the ballot box in the guard barracks entryway and count the votes in the morning. When Oakwood suggested perhaps he should post guards on it, given the fact that they lost that sword not 3 days earlier. He was told (after blowing a Society roll) to leave it to the adults and this is the way that’s been working for decades. Brisco came up with a good idea but I’m not sure how much of it was in advance, in retrospect or what. Basically, he took the Sigil cantrip for the day. When he cast his vote, he marked his ballot with a magic sign in witness of some guards. There was no sabotage and the polls closed at sunset. Amica said her father met with the accountants but she couldn’t hear what they said. They looked smugly confident however.
We decided to guard the barracks through the night. We didn’t want to go in because we didn’t want to be accused of tampering ourselves. And Longsaddle probably wouldn’t have allowed it anyway. TerStegan guarded the front and Brisco, the back. Oakwood hung out by some crates with sight of the front and the north side. Disinterested Clarisa decided to join him there. Around midnight, the mute dwarf came walking up, surprised to see TerStegan. They had a standoff of sorts but since she couldn’t talk, there wasn’t much of a conversation. They watched each other while the rest of us watched the barracks. Brian seemed to be trying to goad us into attacking and there was a lot of nothing happening. She cast a subtle spell that TerStegan managed to spot but again, nothing happened. He threatened to cleave her if she did it again. Brisco went back to the back door and sat up against it. Soon after, someone tried to open it but stopped when it was resisted. DS misunderstood, thinking someone had come out. So, he started swinging at empty air, assuming an invisible foe. He called out for a guard but got no answer, proving, to him at least, that it wasn’t a guard.
Brisco raised the alarm and the guards woke up. The dwarf left at a leisurely pace and TerStegan followed her. Brisco told Longsaddle there was someone in the barracks, probably invisible, that was messing with the ballot box. Clarisa came around the back to support him and Oakwood went to the front door. Longsaddle showed Brisco the undisturbed ballot box in a condescending manner but ordered a search to humor him. At this point, it seemed like a wasted night, where all our efforts were for naught. But then some of the guards spotted someone in the kitchen. A mysterious figure in black clothes ran out and it became a skill challenge chase. The DC was up around 24 which is tough. Worse than a 50/50 for most. Brisco and Oakwood made one roll but had to use a hero point to do so. (Another “heroic” skill roll.) Clarisa made one but the guards missed theirs and he got away. TerStegan followed the dwarf back to their hotel but the Tengu never showed up. Brisco explained his Sigil plan to Longsaddle and asked for the box to be opened and checked. Longsaddle called for the mayor and town elders. Oakwood suggested adding the other candidates as well.
While we waited, we questioned the guards. Oakwood figured it would be hard not to spot a Tengu, even in a heavy cloak. However, since Tengu have bird feat, it was not hard to confirm those tracks. Brisco and TerStegan demanded the accountant be arrested but evidently there were several Tengu in town. That gave him plausible deniability. The mayor was committed to the rule of law in his town. They opened the box and Brisco’s ballot was no longer there. Oakwood suggested that it called for a revote so that is what they are going to do. To keep things tidy, in one week. The next day, when they counted the votes, Rajani had the win. That doesn’t look good on him. The dwarf was brought in for questioning but the Tengu hasn’t shown up yet. That took the pressure off for a bit and Brian said we shouldn’t have any trouble “borrowing” the key/holy symbol/town office seal to get into the crypt. So, we stopped there, poised to use it to open the crypt next time. Seems familiar somehow.
