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Act 1
It isn’t every day that one receives an invitation to the Karcau Opera House, with the ticket prices being what they are—not to mention the cost of seats in a private box. Of course, as soon as the usher leads you to your seats, it becomes obvious why the Society has sent you to enjoy a night at the opera....
Already seated within the private booth, a lean Ustalavic noblewoman waits, watching the show with detached enthusiasm. She turns slowly, the crimson of her elegant gown a contrasting starkly with her dark hair, pale skin, and sharp features. She motions to nearby seats and dismisses the attending usher. “Thank you for coming. I am Venture-Captain Basia Kalistoff, currently without a home lodge. The Decemvirate requested that I speak with you here, in private, to discuss a problem that needs sorted out. I trust you’ve heard of Skeldon Miregrold?”
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“Miregrold is a disreputable and duplicitous rogue of my own, noble, Ustalavic blood—my second cousin, in fact, though I’m loathe to admit it. He’s also quite renowned in our little Society, though again, few would boast of associating with him. When his father passed, Skeldon invested most of his sizable inheritance in illicit trade operations with the dark denizens that dwell below this city. Though he is valuable as a font of knowledge about the subterranean passages below—and the Darklands in general—he’d sell out his dying mother if he thought he could profit from it. Despite my personal warnings, the Decemvirate granted him permission to open a lodge in Karcau, though this grant came with several stipulations. As I’d suspected, none of these conditions have been met. The Society requested Skeldon send them his research notes along with some samples of a rare mineral he’s being experimenting with called aureolyte. Neither the notes nor the samples ever arrived. Furthermore, it’s been a month since Skeldon contacted the Decemvirate, who are increasingly concerned about the additional finances they granted him to conduct his research. Other sources have led us to believe he has squandered this money for his own purposes and owes significant sums to one of Karcau’s most influential crime families."[/b]
She continues, “That’s what we need you for. Make your way to the Karcau Lodge and present Skeldon with these transfer orders.” She slides a stack of sealed envelopes across the table. “Once inside, try to collect whatever information you can about Skeldon, his side deals, and the kind of trouble he’s in. It would be even better if you could procure copies of his research and a sample of aureolyte. The Manor sits on a sizable hillside property just south of town. Any questions?”
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"Ka, it is your task to deliver the papers to Skeldon, not to enforce them. I would ask you to return with any reply, and a thorough report on the situation at the Lodge."
"Garinol, the aureolyte is frequently rendered into samples between wand and rod sized. The substance itself is quite stable - at least for transportation and handling. Little is known about it - hence the pursuit and research of the rare mineral."
"Tomnus, strict reconnaissance would not normally allow contact. We are asking you to take Skeldon's report, and deliver the transfer papers. So reconnaissance, along with some courier duty, if you will."
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Violence looks around at the group and not-so-subtely tries to raise himself up onto his tiptoes.
'Easy. Take notes. Give notes. Stick people if dey stop us. Mebbe stick people if dey doent.' He snickers at his own joke.
Violence starts playing with his large stick, and seems mostly uninterested in any rurther intellectual pursuits.
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As you all go about your procurement and settling your affairs before heading out, notes are quietly but firmly delivered to each of you.
Faithful Crusader,
I need you to retrieve an ancient scroll that I believe is held in the Karcau Lodge archives. I hope it provides hints to the location of an ancient temple of an evil god, destroyed centuries ago.
Furthermore, I believe Skeldon Miregrold possesses materials stolen from a Nethysian sorcerer. Enclosed is a small, opalescent sphere; should you find an identical one should you find in the lodge, switch it with this one and return it to me.
Yours in Service,
The Silver Crusade
Glorious Servant of the Crown,
I have a pathfinder named Balriman Wiltshire stationed in Ustalav. Find him, and find out why he stopped reporting back to us—he is easily identified by his ancestral ring bearing the Wiltshire family crest. Enclosed is a crude copy for comparison purposes.
For political reasons, the Wiltshire family intermarried with an Ustalavic house. To celebrate their binding, a magical locket was crafted and gifted to the heir of the house. If Balriman has passed on, his distant relatives in Taldor request the Pathfinders retrieve for them their prized heirloom. It is, however, said to carry a terrible curse, so be careful of that.
For the Empire!
Baron Jacquo Dalsine
Agent of Freedom,
When tunnels under the Karcau Lodge were discovered, one cavern had to be cleared out of drow slavers before being renovated/repurposed for Society use. After these skirmishes, several pathfinders’ bodies were buried in subterranean tombs. I need you to perform a ritual on their mass grave to reinforce wards placed on the bodies and prevent them from rising as vampires. You’ll find the text of that ritual enclosed—it’s quite difficult to pull off and will require all of your knowledge of the gods.
Furthermore, we have an agent named Mercra collecting intelligence on the city. I need you to find him and retrieve his most recent journals. He was last known to be staying at the Karcau Lodge.
For Andoran,
Captain Colson Maldris
Brother of the Lodge,
It would please me for you to make a rubbing of a mysterious serpent-covered relief sculpture held in the Karcau Lodge’s storerooms. Entitled the “Venomous Draughts,” it was retrieved from the libraries of Stygia by a famous pathfinder horizon walker and obtaining a copy would be a great boon for the Lodge.
Additionally, the renegade son of Lord Astrimart stayed at this lodge for a few months before heading off into the wilderness, never to be heard from again. Prior to his disappearance, he stole several family heirlooms, including a ceremonial saber, a pair of magic boots, and the deed to the family’s holdings in Sargava. If you find any of these treasures, return them to the Lodge.
Yours in Faith,
Grand Master of the Decemverate
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Before you leave the opera, Venture-Captain Kalistoff leans forward and in a hushed voice says: “On a personal note, I was the initial candidate for venture-captain of the Karcau Lodge. Behind my back, Miregrold went to the Decemvirate and bid me out of the position while his agents traveled throughout this city, slandering my reputation. I would love to restore the damage he’s done to my tarnished family name, but he precluded this through his bribes and blackmail. Thus, I have a strong personal interest in seeing the Decemvirate bring him to his knees. If you succeed in this endeavor, you will earn my eternal gratitude. I hope to soon be in a position to make it worth your while. Godspeed.”
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Id like to spend a little time out in the streets asking around about both of them.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Between one informant and the other the aasimar cleric starts to wonder about the investigation:
"If we deliver the orders first, Skeldon will know that there are people watching him. Otherwise, why would you send 6 man to deliver a simple message? Anyway, I think we should investigate first, and if everything goes wrong we just announce we were sent by the decemvirate and had transfer orders for him.
Does any of you have an idea about WHAT these transfer orders cover?"
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After the opera, our brave adventurers fan out through the city visiting dark haunts and smoke-filled bars and back rooms, seeking information about Skeldon Miregrold and the Pathfinders' Karcau Lodge, located in Miregold Manor, just south of town. By tapping various contacts, local rumors, and resources, a picture emerges of Miregold as an eccentric, even erratic figure. His management of the Pathfinder Lodge has not won him any friends - the Lodge seems to be turned inward. Skeldon made his reputation through adventures in the Darklands under the earth. It appears that Miregold Manor has direct access to tunnels letting on to the Darklands (as do many of the large, ancient structures in Karcau), and Miregold has focused his efforts - and possibly the Pathfinders' resources - on his researches in those dark quarters. From some less reputable sources, our adventurers glean that Miregold has accrued some substantial debts, owed to the kind of people that are likely to extract their interest in blood.
There are rumors that the Karcau Lodge is an unhealthy place - or at least that more people enter its gates than leave. From its foreboding perch on a hillside, it looms dark and brooding - in touch with the character of Ustalav, but hardly an advertisement for the openness and shared knowledge the Pathfinder Society advocates.
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Agent of Freedom,
When tunnels under the Karcau Lodge were discovered, one cavern had to be cleared out of drow slavers before being renovated/repurposed for Society use. After these skirmishes, several pathfinders’ bodies were buried in subterranean tombs. I need you to perform a ritual on their mass grave to reinforce wards placed on the bodies and prevent them from rising as vampires. You’ll find the text of that ritual enclosed—it’s quite difficult to pull off and will require all of your knowledge of the gods.
Furthermore, we have an agent named Mercra collecting intelligence on the city. I need you to find him and retrieve his most recent journals. He was last known to be staying at the Karcau Lodge.
For Andoran,
Captain Colson Maldris
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I think we jumped introductions. I'm Kashliwandertan, but you may call me Ka. I have some healing skills and Desna's favors wherever I go.
So, staying at the lodge will be impossible, probably. We should check the surroundings at night, in the dark, so we won't be visible from a distance. But that may be troublesome as only few of us can see in the dark, right? Any ideas about how should we proceed?
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Greetings fellow Pathfinders, I am Zedril. I will be joining you all in this courier mission. I must admit I am skeptical of any orders that need to be delivered by 6 adventurers.
Zedril approaches each of the group for a formal greeting of a handshake.
Shall we proceed tonight or wait until the morning?
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"The night is dark and full of terrors! Sounds good! We could ask for rooms in the Lodge, and sneak in to fill our goals as the staff sleeps, meeting with Skeldon in the morning and handling the transfer papers to him. Either way sounds dangerous, and our request for rooms might be just denied, as the Lodge seems to be not so welcoming these days. First we should decide if we are going to talk with him before or after the reconnaissance?"
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...and so our heroes determine to engage in a post-opera snipe hunt and reconnaissance mission.
The party regroups, and proceeds south of town along a dark and deserted track to the Miregold Estate. Seeing the stately manor house on the hill, they seek cover from observing eyes. Circling the house, they are able to determine that there is a set of large double doors, flanked by columns and draped solaria at the front of the house. To the rear there is a summer kitchen, including a standard sized entrance at the base of a stairwell - the hill falls away from the back of the house. A second story window shows a dim flicker of lantern light between wayward folds of heavy draperies.
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In the grand tradition of late night snipe hunts, a great deal of toe-smashing and cursing ensues. Branches are broken, piles of bottles are overturned and broken underfoot (leftovers from previous snipe hunters). Everyone is reminded that the greatest breach with tradition is a dearth of alcoholic beverages. As VBH is assisting Rhydderch withdraw his foot from a chuckhole, several people notice that the dim light in the Manor has been snuffed.