Who: Bella
What: Bella has seen to be an open ally of the party after they first came to her. Yes, her motivations seem to be mostly money, but she has demonstrated that she is somehow tied to the area, through memory of a past and/or a desire to find a place to settle and retire to. Spies of Gwinn are an assumed peril during the time of war, and the PCs have seen multiple instances of them being active in the area. They have noted those in Torrelsons Ford that have aided the party repeatedly. Now, these allies will become a target. Bella is very visible and seems to believe her ill-concealed powers keep her safe.
Where: Torrelson’s Ford area
Why: To Gwinn, she seems a haughty witch that is about to learn a fatal lesson.
Been Preparing: She has apparently grown very wary of her normal forays into the moors for ingredients. Her lizard folk allies are few and she is not stupid – they serve mostly to dissuade opportunity attacks against her, not a concentrated one. She has followed the rise of the Gallantine presence and knows that her association will inevitably bring a focussed attack on her. She has fortified her home and the clearing on the west edge of town. Her animal allies and watchers stand ready, and she has hidden several potions and weapons so that an ambush or impromptu fight would not find her defenseless if she had to run in the night into the moors or trees around her.
Waiting: Lately, she has become aware of troglodyte watchers at night, and one or two suspicious people who seem to spend too much time nearby. She knows she is being observed and is waiting for an attack to happen.
Round 1: An agent observes her and the party, but she’s well aware of the interest in herself. In this case, there is an agent with the troglodytes near town, but Gwinn is not willing to risk their agent. An outsider is brought in to put an end to Bella. The forces of Gwinn have definitely noticed that it’s been her help that has tipped the balance in favor of the party. A few times, they have tried to hire a thief to sneak into her home, and each attempt was thwarted by the thief noticing the unnatural animals, her large snake pet on the house roof, strange smells and sounds. The home, to a strained eye, is clearly a trap. They encouraged a foolish youth to try and break in, and he was never heard of again – he was fed to the animals.
Round 2: Now they have sent for a professional. A human comes in to assassinate her. This time, there was an obvious result – her animals break free and attack. She now walks with a limp.
She gives the PCs evidence…
all things not Gwinnish = obvious not to incriminate
Rogue 3rd – Sailor came in on a haul from Umbak to Loamwold delivery and fresh cargo of malt, tin, red salt and peppers headed back to Umbak; he was a southerner
Dagger – Poison was on the blade dc 16 investigation – wiped clean, dc 20 herbalism kit = poison should have killed!
Clothes – merchant city
Cipher Stick – merchant city (hidden in boot)
Amulet wrapped and fired in clay, DC 11 it can be broken = troglodyte symbol
There is a huge snake hide drying in the clearing (her guardian, killed by 2nd poison dagger)
Night gathering flowers under moonlight
Scaled giant rats (Salt Cliff Rats – Sea King breeding! extinct!) + Willo-o-wisp attacks, she swats it like its nothing and exclaims in draconic (she is used to dealing with the Lizard folk)
Salt Rats/Sea Cliff Rats