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Recently returned from their various missions, which have carried them to the far corners of Golarion and perhaps beyond, a group of Pathfinders arrive at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, the City at the Center of the World. In response to a summons from Venture-Captain Adril Hestram, each of the agents reports to the Grand Lodge and is escorted to a well-appointed meeting room, ornamented with tasteful Tien tapestries and a shelf of delicate porcelain vases painted with scenes of pine-dotted mountains. A round table covered with a red silken cloth holds a pot of steaming tea and a set of small, handle-less cups, also in the Tien style.
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Oloch walks in to the fancy room, with the fancy tapestries and drapes. He looks at an even fancier.. elf of to the side make a low moaning sound, probably her eyes are in pain from all this garish decoration, Oloch ponders while repressing the urge to spit. I've taken up their mantle...with the All-mighty Gorum's blessing...but, I'll never fully understand these Pathfinders...and their need for comfort and the softer things in life. Oloch shakes his head in denial and takes a seat. He keeps a wary eye on the elf in the corner. They may seem frail...but, I've seen a few of their number take out more than a company of Orcs in the forest of Nirmathis.
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A cloaked figure steps into the room, pulls back his hood and a male human gives a beaming smile to everyone. ”A beautiful day to be alive. Hello everyone, I am John Carlos. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” John shakes off the dust from his crimson cloak and underneath you see an odd vest with small leather flaps sewn onto it. He sets his backpack on the floor next to him and takes a seat.
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When all have arrived he stands and smiles, ”I'll start then! I'm an outgoing fellow who can generally talk my way out of most problems. I'm happy to take lead in social situations if no one minds, if anyone does I'll happily cede to their expertise.”
A small finely detailed scabbard holds a dagger at his waist, his only visible weapon. He glances down at it, "I'm good enough with ole stabby here to know the pointy end goes into the bad guy, but it isn't exactly my expertise. I've got a passing skill with a few spells, but pretty much I stay back and support the more 'physically' inclined."
After a short pause he adds, "anyone wish to go next?"
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The Elven woman opens one eye, then the other. With a closer look you see that she is also of Human stock, but favors the Elven side.
This woman is pleased to make your acquaintance, and is equally pleased to have someone else do the speaking.
She draws herself up from her meditative pose, sinuously like a cat stretching.
This woman is called Yugatta. This woman has some measure of skill, miniscule by most standards, with the ボディーツール防衛兵器 method. One could call this woman "physically inclined" without being incorrect.
ボディーツール防衛兵器 is "body tool defense weapon".
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After giving Kenra directions and sending her on her way, Ser Willem Dargerion comes into the all too familiar meeting room. He immediately looks to each of the Pathfinders arranged there, sighing that he recognizes none of them. He notices that he has walked in on what appears to be everyone introducing themselves. Waiting his turn, even though his reputation should precede him, he speaks eloquently and clearly.
"In addition to you fine Pathfinders, the Venture-Captain has sent for my services as well. Though you may have already heard of me, I shall endeavor to enlighten you on the truth of the matter. I am Ser Willem Dargerion, of Oppara. I am a knight of the Order of the Silver Sword and I have truly seen my fair share of this world and its intricacies. I hope that in this mission, we shall come to mesh together well to see it to its completion." With that, he takes a seat and waits for the Venture-Captain to return.
A lad in rather grubby street clothes enters the meeting room, absently whistling a tune. He carries a polished copper tray tucked under one arm, a basket of small pastries in that same hand, and his other hand is lifting to his mouth, about to stuff a pastry into it. He takes a few steps into the room and his whistling stops abruptly as he realizes it is occupied. "Ur, uh, 'scuse me," he mutters, tucking the pastry back into the basket. "You're here already? That was quick! Cook tol' me ta set up the room for th' Venture Cap'n, said I had plenty o' time, as you Pathfinders is always late..." He goes instantly quiet, realizing what he's said and hurries to the table, dropping the tray onto it with a clatter, upending the basket onto the tray so the pastries scatter out of it. Without another word, he hurries out the door.
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John gives a beaming smile and stands up to greet the lad, "no need to apologize! We were all just given early notice."
He grabs the tray, shifting the pastries so they aren't all jumbled and sets the basket to the side. "See, no harm done. Why don't you join us for a moment and enjoy one of these delicious baked goods."
As on que, he grabs one and takes a bite. After chewing briefly he adds, "oh I recognize that tune, I've sung it quite a few times at taverns, excellent rendition my boy!"
The boy pauses, clearly wishing desperately to be elsewhere as the Pathfinders address him, even as they do so kindly. When offered a pastry, he shakes his head vigorously, and when John remarks on the song, the lad blushes a deep crimson color. Turning to Yugatta, his eyes widen as he takes in her exotic appearance and he stammers out a reply, "Um, well, later. But, uh, soon? Soon. Yes, soon. I think."
He eyes the door through which he entered, hoping against hope that he can go back out through it before anyone else speaks to him.
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The boy gives a grateful nod to John Carlos, then darts out the door. The tea pot continues to steam...
“There’s trouble at the Blakros Museum again,” Venture-Captain Adril Hestram growls without ceremony as he enters the room. “The museum’s curator, Nigel Aldain, came to me this morning asking for help. Apparently, a wayward daughter of his illustrious patrons, the powerful Blakros family, has disappeared, along with a few of the museum’s watchmen who went looking for her. The Society has helped him in the past, and he wants us to find her, before he loses his job, or worse. Now Nigel’s an old friend, and a former Pathfinder, but this kind of missing person case isn’t really our bailiwick. Normally I’d tell him to find the district guard and leave the Society out of it.”
“But then he made me an offer that was too good to pass up. Not only will he allow the Society access to the Blakros Museum’s extensive and very private library, but apparently this same missing daughter just returned to Absalom with a pack full of ancient relics collected throughout Osirion and northern Garund. And Nigel promised the Society first pick of any of those pieces that catch our fancy. I don’t need to tell you what those kinds of things might be worth, so it looks like you’re heading to the Blakros Museum tonight.”
“The missing daughter is named Imrizade Blakros—half- Osirian herself and a pretty successful adventurer and fortune hunter by all accounts. She just arrived in Absalom out of the blue a few days ago, after a couple of years’ worth of tomb-raiding in the Osirian deserts, and carrying an odd metal cylinder covered in hieroglyphs, like nothing Nigel has ever seen before. Nigel says she went straight to the basement of the museum to do some research in the family’s library, muttering something about ‘whispers in the dark’ and ‘old tapestries,’ or something. He didn’t hear from her for a couple of days, which isn’t unusual when someone is deep into their research in the archives, but he got worried when strange noises started coming from the basement. He sent a watchman down there to investigate, and when he didn’t return, Nigel sent a few more. That was last night, and neither the Blakros woman nor the watchmen have come back up.”
“Go to the museum and find out what happened to Imrizade Blakros and the watchmen. Nigel would prefer them alive, of course, especially the Blakros woman, but the Society is more interested in what she brought back with her. I’ve got a hunch it wasn’t just grave goods and pretty jewelry. Whatever she found, the Society wants it, or at the very least some information about it.”
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John's face becomes crestfallen for a brief second, "oh no, not another missing daughter."
He looks at his new companions, "long story, I guess it ended well but that was not an easy assignment. Hopefully this one goes smoother." He pauses thoughtfully, "though I'm suspicious instantly of Nigel. Hopefully we can get everyone out alive."
Thinking for a second as Yugatta shares what she knows about the museum he cheerfully adds, "well I don't have much in the way of knowledge, outside a few specific fields. But, I'm pretty good at charming information out of people. I'll ask around for some more intel as we head over."
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After a while John finally tracks down some more information that he shares. "Apparently the Blakros family was probably originally Taldan, but they have intermingled with a number of powerful allies. It's likely that their fortune's are a result of these alliances. They seem to like the idea of marrying off daughters... the practice of which I generally do not approve. But, if the daughter's are okay with the marriage I guess it's at least understandable."
He breaks into a big smile, "anyway, as usual on these missions, expect everything and expect nothing!"
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Ser Willem nods as his new companions mention what they know after the Venture-Captain leaves. "Something tells me this isn't the first daughter they have 'lost'. I seem to remember my family wanting me to marry one of them. I am happy that I was assigned this post before that happened. I digress. I will also go about and ask my contacts what they know."
Later, after , Willem says, "It seems my contacts only know as much as we already do. Let us to the Museum so we can see what may have happened."
Oloch stands like a statue as his new companions, relay information regarding the Blackros family and their history. So they marry their daughters off for profit? Nothing unusual about that. Even the Orcs of my homeland marry the most healthy and presumably fertile of the woman off to the most powerful warriors and chieftains in return for favor. What is worrying is the artifacts or relics, this half- Osirian daughter has returned with. Mummies and other undead inhabit the deserts of Osirian...curses usually follow them .. Oloch unconsciously shivers then mentally chastises himself for doing so. If your companions see such weakness from you...the battle father will never allow you through his gates when the veil of this world passes.
"It seems my contacts only know as much as we already do. Let us to the Museum so we can see what may have happened."
Tired of his own internal thoughts and struggles Oloch pipes in much too loudly, Yes! Enough talk! Lets be off and see to these disappearances! Oloch reaches over his shoulder to pat the pommel of his great sword, And may the battle Father grant us Vengeance, on those that would dare strike against the Pathfinders or their allies! Oloch smiles...anticipating a fight with a supernatural foe of great power.
Once the party has completed their inquiries, they proceed to the Blakros Museum, where they are greeted by a clearly flustered Nigel Aldain, the curator of the museum. ”Oh, you’re here, you’re here!” he exclaims, ”What took you so long?!” He raises a placating hand, as if to say no answer is required, then says, ”I understand the Society is doing me a favor, and I’m doing one in return. I have no idea what’s happening in the basement, and I need you to find out and fix it! Come this way.”
He ushers the Pathfindrers straight away to the North Exhibit Hall, where he pauses at a small, basalt ziggurat. He reaches down and pushes a small lump of the stone, which causes a section of the lower two tiers to swing open. Once open, the secret door reveals a fifty-foot long ramp, which descends 25 feet to the basement, where the secret library can be found. Wide enough to accommodate a draft horse moving large exhibits to and from the basement storerooms, the ramp ends at two sets of double doors, facing each other to the east and west. Wooden placards on the doors are marked “Storeroom 1” and “Storeroom 2.”
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As they get in sight of the museum, John pulls out a wand and speaks a command phrase, "silk to steel."
He looks at his companions, "I've learned it is best to do some prep well before even getting close to places."
He turns to Yugatta with a smile, "m'lady, you remind me of another pathfinder I worked with. He found this spell to be quite useful as well. If you don't mind, I'll try it on you as well?"
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He thanks Nigel for the opportunity to help him out of a bind. As they go downstairs he sticks to the back and tries to be moderately quiet, at least for a clumsy human with minimal training in the arts of 'the sneak'.
Oloch grunts as he pulls out his Two-handed sword, I'll follow the elf woman..
Yugatta’s sharp ears detect no noise on the other side of the door.
The doors open with a grinding creak, revealing a large room filled with monsters of all shapes and sizes! Giant skeletons and stuffed taxidermic monstrosities are frozen in poses of snarling ferocity, while mummified corpses lie in sedate repose in ornately carved sarcophagi. As silent as a tomb, the air in the hall is stale and musty. Unlit oil lamps hang from brackets in the center of each wall, leaving the room dark and causing the taxidermied creatures to seem to loom frighteningly out of the shadows!
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Falom will uncork and take an elixer of hiding and once the door is open, she'll move silently into the room.
Falom slips into the room and gets behind a massive taxidermy dinosaur, keeping one eye on the thing to be sure it's really not moving. John and Yugatta provide light to see - this makes it easier to make one's way through the room, but the looming shadows grow even more fearsome!
As Yugatta moves up to the nearest oil lamp, one of the still figures begins to move! A towering skeletal figure, with bony wings protruding from its back and three heads! It's hard to be sure with no flesh on the bones, but the skulls appear to be of a lion, a dragon and a horned goat. One of the heads bites at Yugatta!
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At the sudden attack, John activates a spell on himself, drawing a small circle in front of him and saying, ”shield!”
He then steps up and bright silver dagger slips into his hand as he tries to wrack his brain about what this thing could be.
for a 10.
He asks the group, ”does anyone know if it can be feared?”
Falom's arrow strikes true, but the creature's bony nature seems to deflect some of the damage. John readies himself for the fight, but is unable to identify the monstrosity before him, as one of Yugatta's strikes shatters a couple of the skeleton's ribs!
By Steelhand's blade what is that?
Oloch uses his granted War mind Blessing, on himself and moves to engage the creature.
Oloch is quite confident the creature is a three-headed skeleton monster, but is a little fuzzy on any details beyond that. Willem moves in and strikes, but his blade cuts empty air!
The monster continues to attack Yugatta, its many heads, horns and claws striking at her! Thanks to John Carlos' magical protection, the creature's attacks fail to harm her!
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"I don't think he cares!"
John's internal debate is clinched as he figures, if it doesn't care it probably won't be scared of anything I can do. Okay, let's give it a little taste of what I deal with daily.
Pointing at the creature he mutters, "see if you can handle this!"
Not knowing what to make of the Cavalier's miss of the monster, Oloch shrugs and says, Let me show you the power of Gorum! And grips his sword tightly coming down with an monstrous overhand strike at the creature.
John's bone-warping touch causes the creature to freeze up as his companions continue to batter and smash it! Willem's blade connects but has no effect on the bony thing. Yugatta's kick proves more effective, breaking a couple more of its ribs! But Oloch, fueled by the power of Gorum, who must truly hate undead chimera in museum basements, brings his blade down right where the three skulls meet the spine and smashes the creature to pieces!
Now that there's some light in the room, and the Pathfinders are not distracted by a three-headed beast risen from the dead, they can see a few more details. Two large wooden signs lean against one wall, inscribed with the captions “Hunting the Beasts of Legend” and “The Honored Dead.” A door in the southern wall holds a sign labeled “Storeroom 3.”
A search of the room reveals little of use, unless one can find an application for a partially-decayed diplodocus or the bones of several different sizes of carnivorous ducks. One exception to this is the skeleton of an ancient dwarven warrior of Tar Taargadth, still dressed in his battle gear: a masterwork breastplate, a masterwork warhammer, and a spined shield.
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John smiles as the 'thing' falls to pieces. "Excellent work there! Truly wonderful. Anyone hurt?"
He will take a brief moment to cast a short spell and look at bones and then scan rest of the room. Shrugging at the nicely crafted armor he then waits for his allies to finish their searches to continue.