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The blue-fisted elf is taken aback by the half-orcs charge and the bugbear's display of prowess. However, he will not be cowed into inaction!
He takes a moment to gather Irori's presence to aid his allies in their path to physical perfection.
The wounds of the injured heal over slightly. Perhaps he is more afraid than he thought.
The team is taken aback by the bugbear's martial prowess. A little of her swagger returns as she eyes the paladin. "You will pay for that." Back in the alcove, Jikan no sooner finishes one spell than another is quick to find his lips. Yargul steps forward and musters a burst of healing. Klo finds his larger size slightly more awkward than he is used to and misses the mark with his attack.
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 2} Bold may post
Jikan Casting Shaken
Kul-Amon {7/10 hp} Shaken
Shaya Missed Shaken
Klo {10/13 hp} Missed Shaken
Goblins
Kara Shaken
Inoklar
Yargul Demoralized (round 2 of 2)
The green goblin seems to take a huge leap backwards, clearing several feet. As he lands, his arm goes limp, and head lolls to the side, but he still stands. This is due to the fact that Kul-Amon's spear has pinned the goblin's corpse to the pillar. After a moment, the body falls as the spear flies back to the cleric's hand. His brood mate charges at the Nethyn, but Klo's enlarged spear nails the goblin to the ground. A surprised, gurgling gasp the only sound he utters as he dies. Kara comes forward, singing a tune about a monkey slipping on a banana. A thin sheen of oil coats the bugbear's weapon, but with a confident twirl, she manages firm hold.
"I grow drunk on the smell of your fear, orc. I am in such a good mood, I will save your songstress for last. She will sing for me at the end of a chain!"
The chieftain lunges forward. In a flash, the blade plunges straight through Shaya's chest, bursting out the back of her armor. As Inoklar withdraws her blade, the paladin's blood pumps out onto the floor. A primal and primitive fire fills the orcs eyes as she realizes her final moment is a breath away.
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 2} Bold may post
Yargul Demoralized (Round 2 of 2)
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 3} Bold may post
Jikan Shaken
Kul-Amon Shaken
Shaya {-6/12} Disabled , Smite Evil, Shaken
Klo {10/13 hp} Shaken
Goblins
Kara Shaken
Inoklar {has taken 14hp of ???}
Yargul Shaken
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(AC is 17 vs bugbear (because smite), 14 vs gobbos)
Shaya has a vision of a cruel blow provided to her by her goddess. One that left her dying and he friends in the clutches of this foul beast. Within a flash, she is back in normal time.
"I grow drunk on the smell of your fear, orc. I am in such a good mood, I will save your songstress for last. She will sing for me at the end of a chain!"
The blade comes in as if in slow motion. This time however, Shaya's arms move without conscious thought, guided from some higher power. A breath before impact the paladin's glaive catches the horsechopper and knocks it aside.
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 2} Bold may post
Yargul Demoralized (Round 2 of 2)
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 3} Bold may post
Jikan Magic Missiled Shaken
Kul-Amon Enlarged Shaken
Shaya Smite Evil, Shaken
Klo {10/13 hp} Double moved, Enlarged Shaken
Goblins
Kara Shaken
Inoklar {has taken 14hp of ???}
Yargul Shaken
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For a second the fear grows stronger yet, and Shaya freezes up-- but just in time she blocks the bugbear's blow with her glaive. Her cheerful face turns dark. "I deal in beauty, not fear," she rasps. "But if you only speak one language... I'll acclimate."
She takes a step back and strikes with her glaive.
As Shaya strike is brushed aside, Yargul and Kul-Amon rush up to join the fray!
"Well, I'll give you credit for not being cowards, but that ain't gonna save you! You will all die before me!"
The bugbear swings, but misses. Apparently she may not be as skilled as she let on. You notice that deep within your hearts, you no longer feel she is a warrior who is beyond your ability to defeat!
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 3} Bold may post
Yargul
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 4} Bold may post
Jikan
Kul-Amon Enlarged
Shaya Smite Evil
Klo {10/13 hp} Enlarged
Kara
Inoklar {has taken 14hp of ???}
Yargul
The fisherman's move catches Inoklar off guard. Her swing just missing the Klo's shoulder.
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 3} Bold may post
Yargul
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 4} Bold may post
Jikan Missiled (again)
Kul-Amon Enlarged
Shaya Smite Evil
Klo {10/13 hp} Enlarged Missed
Kara
Inoklar {has taken 16hp of ???}
Yargul
Kara moves to the north end of the hall. Kul-Amon misses, but the paladin strikes true!
"Fine, bring it on! If you all fight like the priest, your misery will not last long.
Sparks fly from the ground as Inoklar's blades skips off the pillar.
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 4} Bold may post
Yargul
***FINAL BATTLE***{Round 5} Bold may post
Jikan
Kul-Amon Enlarged
Shaya Smite Evil
Klo {10/13 hp} Enlarged
Kara
Inoklar {has taken 26hp of ???}
Yargul
Jikan's onslaught seems to be taking it's toll on the bugbear! She is obviously winded and her swings are getting sloppy.
Klo takes advantage of his size and positioning. With a mighty thrust, Inoklar finds herself impaled on the fisherman's over-sized spear. Her horsechopper clatters to the ground as it falls from her grip. Her head lolls down as she suddenly focuses on the tip sticking out of her chest. She manages little more than a gurgle as her body slides to the floor lifelessly. To make certain, or to take a trophy, Kul-Amon separates the head from the body, ensuring an end to the Nightsoil Marauder leadership.
COMBAT OVER!!
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In the sudden stillness after the combat, Klo’s own breathing and pumping blood are loud in his ears. He stands still for a moment holding the small-seeming bugbear form on the end of his massive spear. Then, his eyes scan cautiously around the group, and he takes a tentative step back.
”Um,” he mutters, giving a furtive shake of the spear which is completely ineffectual at dislodging the lifeless, headless body. ”Come. Off!” he grunts. After shaking it a bit harder—and still making no progress—he sidesteps and scrapes the spear along one of the big pillars, looking like a massive child trying to scrape unwanted mud from a favorite toy.
As the body finally scrapes free, the big Shoanti shrinks back to his normal size, and he gives the gore a scowl. ”So, dat’s dat, yuh? Everyone okay?”
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"....good hit, big guy," Shaya says with a pat to Klo's over-large forearm, since she can't really reach his shoulder when he's magically tall. "Yeah, I think that's that. She was obviously the brains behind all this... I bet the goblins will go back to just being a nuisance."
Shaya cleans blood from her glaive carefully. "Let's see if she had anything on her that's better off in Society hands. It's a shame some people prefer to act ugly than on their potential for inner beauty, but I'm glad we could make the area safer."
Shaya searches the de-headed body with a little grimace for the grisliness of the task. "Maybe we should check around, see if these aspiring thieves had other ill-gotten loot squirreled away?"
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"Don't know about that beauty stuff, but bad guys are bad guys. It's pretty black-and-white. I agree that we should check around. Maybe it'll also give us more insight into why this was happening."
JIkan helps check around, but he's best with magic. He casts Detect Magic and leaves the looking for mundane objects to the others.
A thorough search of the remaining rooms leads you to the bugbear's bedroom. This chamber contains Inoklar's bed and other furnishings. In the room the team discovers large chest containing Inoklar's takings from the Nightsoil Marauders' operations, including emblems and tokens of rival crime organizations in Magnimar: a set of miniature scales carved from black onyx stolen from an inattentive Night Scale thief, several Varisian scarves and knives taken from Sczarni thugs, an ornamental star of Desna filched from one of the Gallowed, a broken klar that belonged to a Shoanti gang leader, and most importantly, a golden As pis Consortium badge. At the bottom of the chest, well hidden from her superstitious goblin minions, are Inoklar's scrawled notes detailing her plans to take over Magnimar.
You make your way out of the sewers and back to the Heidmarch Estate. A quick report has her sending you to eat and, maybe more importantly, wash. You all fall off to bed, exhausted from your first day in Magnimar. The following morning, you have a chance for a longer meeting and share your findings with Sheila.
"That was quite a night. Well done Pathfinders. I am glad you were able to achieve such quick results. Well, if you have nothing else to add, I will give you a chance to get more acquainted with the city and all it has to offer."
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Shaya is very happy to change into clean, non-stinky sewer clothes. "I can't believe my brother got to miss that!" she exclaims repeatedly, probably to the annoyance of her fellow agents, as she makes her way back with the others to report at the lodge. "Next time, I'm dunking him in. Just you see."
At the dinner, Shaya grins. "Time off? Great! So Kul-Amon, do you know any green bars? Oh, oh, or maybe there are art museums!"
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Klo flinches at the words "bars" and "museums", but remains stoic. Despite being gone during the time meant for cleaning up, the big man still smells of salt, fish, and man-smell. Most likely those smells have sunk deeply into his furs.
Regardless of his attitude, he seems up for whatever the group wants to do on their free time. IN a lull in the conversation, he mutters, "We could camp," he shrugs uncomfortably, "I know some places away from dis city."
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"Kul-Amon does not know any bars that are green. Kul-Amon has only seen bars that are the color of the rock that makes them. If Kul-Amon spots green stone, Kul-Amon will make a note of that place in his mind. In the meantime, Kul-Amon would take Shaya of the great blade to a regular bar, as the mysteries of art are even beyond Kul-Amon's knowing" replies Kul-Amon after the briefing, eyeing Klo weirdly. "Kul-Amon does not know of any arts that are in a camp outside the city, as Kul-Amon does not know of any green bars outside the city in camps. All this confuses Kul-Amon. Kul-Amon will follow Shaya as she has the idea that does not confuse Kul-Amon" he continues, motioning for Shaya to lead the way.
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"Oh man. Big guy, camping's nice and all, but.... hot meals!" Shaya counters with a pat to Klo's sinewy forearm. At Kul, she gives a slight blink.
"No, it's a metaphor, it means.... you know what, it's alright, I'll take you both to a bar. Hot mutton stuffed with rice, and poached fish, and a rich, dark beer, and a thick crusty bread with cheese-- you'll like it, I promise."
Turning to Jikan and Yargul, she grins. "How about it, half-size and shieldy? I'll get the first round of drinks. If it's not a green bar, Kul-Amon and I can make it one."
The half-orc looks wistful. "If anyone wants to go to an art museum with me after they can..."
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A few weeks go by, in which you get to enjoy both the hospitality of Lady Heidmarch and the city's creature comforts, limited as they may be for some of you. You even get to bear witness to a few interesting events, such as the great Mite retreat of 4713, in which another group of Pathfinder agents managed to clear an old Thassilionian structure within the city's limits of the blue nuisances. As efforts continue to clear out the structure that you get the missive, straight by courier from Absalom. You have been recalled to the Grand Lodge for a mission. Well. Most of you. Kara has been assigned to the Sothis Lodge, in an effort to stop the rampant security issues which seem to plague the place. As for Kul-Amon... Well...
"Kul-Amon has been blessed with free time. Kul-Amon will use this time to seek out Hadrianna of the Lady of Graves. Kul-Amon hungers for her spirit" he comments with a feral smile as he disembarks with you all in Absalom harbor, after possibly the longest wait ever to get through the Floatsam graveyard. "But Kul-Amon is... Well. Kul-Amon does not have the words." He pauses, unsure as to how to say what he means. Or what he means. "Jikan, Korum, Klo, Yargul. Shaya. Kul-Amon am a seer, dedicated to our war-party. Kul-Amon will return to aid you in your time of need. This is Mul-Amon's promise, before the gods, the All-Seeing-Eye, and before you. May Kul-Amon's spirit be sentenced to roam the wastes endlessly if Kul-Amon breaks it."
[i]"HOW ABOUT KUL-AMON GET OFF THE GANGPLANK BEFORE JETHRO PUNCHES HIM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD? I GOTTA WORK HERE BUDDY!"
The half-orc turns around, cracking his knuckles. "Kul-Amon's got this. Go meet with the ancient one Dreng before he decides to be a beggar again."
Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng’s office isn't, at it's best, a clean or neat office. And today, of all days it seems like it's taken a few steps towards the worst. Drang's face peers around a stack of books as you walk in, seemingly surprised at your appearance in his office, something that last a only a few moments before the old cogs snap back into place and he greets you, with a certain sense of relief.
"Good, good you are all here. Except for the pretty one. Oh well, you have a new one though! Anyway... Oh, right! I’d been meaning to give this assignment to you perhaps sooner, but then I realized that I had you all sent to Magnimar. And then things developed even further, and now here we are with no time at all and many things to do." Dreng mumbles to himself something about needing to order milk as he passes out a stack of notes and maps from behind the wall of books.
"These notes are from a recent Chronicle—it contains some interesting finds, but one of them is now the utmost priority to the Society, especially considering how close it hits us, and you in particular." Dreng lightly taps a bony finger on a map, on which can be seen a section of Absalom with a small corner townhouse circled in deep red. "This townhouse is a façade for an underground vault! The vault belonged to an old noble family of Absalom that was expelled a decade ago—the Decklands. Although you might know them under their assumed name here; the De Traans."
He wiggles his bushy eyebrows as he smiles vacantly. "The family was forced out when their patriarch—a man known as Orias—was discovered to have written documents detailing the city’s defenses, documents he intended to hand over to hostile forces loyal to Cheliax. The Chronicle indicates that a copy of these
documents exist within the vault. A Pathfinder looking into the Decklands and their Chronicle references in Cheliax was attacked and killed ten days ago. It seems that he had been working on it, getting the fine details right and so forth, for some time though, perhaps as long as a month ago. The thugs made off with a copy of his notes." Drang sighs, before piping up cheerfully: "Fortunately he’d already sent us another!" He claps his hands together, continuing: "We have reason to believe it was the work of the Decklands’ oldest child, a young woman named Celeena, and she’s the reason this assignment is now urgent! The fact that Celeena and her forces were willing to kill a Pathfinder, to say nothing about trying to kill an entire team of Pathfinders for this information shows how desperate they are to retrieve the documents. If she were able to get these documents and return them to Cheliax, it would undermine the defenses of the whole city, as well as cause the Society undue headaches. Find Celeena, find the documents in her vault, and prevent this situation from turning into one big mess for the Society. Any questions, my young friends?"
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Making his way through the crowds, a half-orc has returned yet again to see if the transport he has been waiting on has finally docked. I've been down on these docks everyday for a week. By the Petals of the Rose, when is that boat coming in to port? He hears shouting over the crowd and is able to pick out, "Kul-Amon has no knowledge of 'a sandwich', but he knows he does not want one from you, knuckle or otherwise!"
With a smile, Yeah, that's my guy. Korum runs toward the boat and sees Jikan, Klo, Yargul and Shaya disembarking. "Shay! SHAY-UH! Over here." He meets her at the base of the gangplank and gives her a hug. "It's about damn time! He looks to Jikan, You okay? Man, I gotta tell ya, I know it has only been a few weeks, but it felt like months." Patting both Yargul and Klo on the shoulder, "How've ya been guys? Keeping yer hands off my sister I hope. For yer sakes, really. She would make a terrible girl friend. Broke her last boyfriend's leg in a fit of passion. Poor ogre never walked the same again. Sad story really." As they walk toward the city proper, "Heard about Kara stayin' behind. Hope she catches up to us eventually. She was good people."
Over dinner Korum listens to the others as they recount their time in Magnimar. With a whistle, "That place sounds great. Can't believe I missed it. Gonna have to get the one day."
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When she catches sight of her brother, Shaya beams massively and breaks into a jog on the docks, causing a few people to worriedly get out of the way of the armored half-orc collision. "BRO!
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I think the ogre was making eyes at you big brother. Anyway you didn't miss much, we crawled around sewers a lot. They REALLY stink. That's mainland civilization for you I guess. Yeah, hopefully we'll see Kara again but I guess the Lodge cap'ns will run you with a full team one way or another. Suits me. So this is Absalom, huh?! Wow! I think I smell street food. I'll meet you at the Lodge, I just, you know... wanna check out the local food options..."
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Once again, the big Shoanti had been a different person aboard the ship while at sea. Smiling. Joking. Helping the crew where they let him. He definitely seemed to know about ships, if not seemingly so used to one of this level of sophistication.
Regardless, the mask returned once the Absolom docks came into view, and he retrieved his gear and mutely walked down the gangplank.
As the two orc-blooded siblings crash into each other, Klo gives them a smile, giving Korum a mighty claps on the shoulder. "You live, yuh?" He frowns at the exchange about the ogre, then his dumb smile spreads slowly back across his flat face. "The ogre is a joke, yuh?"
He roars with laughter, his fist hammering his thigh with a thud, "Is funny!" He leans in towards Korum as he hikes a meaty thumb at Shaya. "You shoulda seen her hit the crap outta dat bugbear!" He roars with laughter again, "She whacked'm good!"
The big man looms in the corner, too big to actually be out of the way, but trying mightily nonetheless. At “the pretty one”, Klo scrunches up his face, then mouths, ‘Oh, Kara.’
For the entirety of the debrief, Klo looms quietly.
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The voice comes as the doors of the sitting room fly open. This woman's sunburnt olive skin shows signs of a life of toil that ages a person prematurely, but her eyes show an unfettered vitality. Her wavy black hair is accented by a rose that doubles as a holy symbol of Shelyn, the strands of which fall as-they-may in an unkempt flair which carries over into her clothing: a fine breastplate embossed with a many-colored rose over a loose blouse and breeches. She carries a sturdy, fresh buckler and numerous small weapons, though her hand wanders closest to her rapier.
"Greetings to all of you! I am told by Ollysta to report here to your team." The woman's sonorous voice carries a distinct Taldan accent that caresses each word.
"As for who I am..." She proceeds to sing to a sweeping tango melody, her body poised like a singer on a stage.
"I am I, Dulcinea, Lady of la Mancha.
Destiny called, and I..."
She drops the exalted pose, shrugging with a cat grin.
"Said 'why not?'"
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"Back in Absalom, huh? Well, lots of places for me to sell my clocks I suppose. This city is huge!"
The gnome checks to see he has everything with him, patting down his clothes.
"It seems we have a new member amongst us. Greeting Dulcinea. Apologies if I mispronounce your name a few times. I am Jikan, aspiring chronomancer and clockmaker. If you're familiar with my home town, the half-disappearing town of Uringen, you would understand my fascination with space and time."
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"Weird. Are those documents even up to date? I suppose building construction moves slow and there's at least some relevance to the documents."
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"Hey! Hi, welcome!" Shaya says with her usual enthusiasm at seeing the new face. "Oh, wow, I really like your hair-clip..." This with a (very toothy) grin as Shaya holds up her own dangling Shelyn-rose, those hers just hangs on a chain around her neck. "It's nice tomeetcha! I'm Shaya, and this lunk here's my brother, Korum. And-- well I guess everyone else can speak for themselves, heh, sorry, I'm pretty chatty! So is Kul-Amon but I think he got in a fight at the docks. Anyway."
She tries to drag her attention back to the briefing.
"Wow, treason? Serious stuff. Are they not supposed to be here, this family, with the fake name and all? Can't we just say, hey, city guards, this family that tried to sell out the city ten years ago is still here under a FAKE NAME and trying to do it again? No?"
Shaya frowns. "Okay, well, we'll do our best. Do we know anything about Celeena? Or what her house is like?"