The world-renowned Blakros Museum has outdone itself, gathering an unrivaled collection of relics from the Shining Crusade, a holy coalition that felled the greatest lich to threaten Golarion. When trouble befalls the exhibit mere days before its debut, the Pathfinders intervene, only to discover that one of the relics is key to averting a far greater disaster that has laid in wait for a millennium.
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Rogar is rather homely even for a dwarf. When he tries to talk to people they often either throw things at him or run away so he doesn't talk much.
He is quite strong and he stays that way via constant exercise and martial arts training.
What he lacks in smarts he makes up for in weapons.
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Yen Jinsa Taishin, or Jinsa for short, is a shorter tian male. Or what other tians would consider average height. He wheres scholarly robes with his family crest, a dragon circling a human figure on a within a cloud. A few scrolls and a rod shoved into his waste band.
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Polanco is your average city dwarf. He can be seen hanging out at the wounded wisp pretty much at all hours of the day when he isn't out of town on a mission or serving as a Teacher at the grand lodge part-time.
He has an ethusiasm for cigars and ale and the simple pleasures. But he takes a large amount of pride in 'his nerds' the scholars of the society that he accompanies on missions.
But for a guy whose main asset is his Axe-arm, he can be seen studying up on the latest articles about magic and magical creatures and of course his one true passion, arkey-texture.
He has just returned from 3 back to back missions in the sunny and humid Mwangi Expanse and so has a nice healthy tan, unusual for the dwarves, as he sips on his growler of Mwangi Pale Ale.
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A half-elf with a long, scraggly beard, dressed in a well-worn and dusty explorer's outfit, with a nasty-looking scythe strapped to his back, cheerfully wanders into the room.
"Hello! The name's Radagast."
He then frowns, and looks behind him.
"Now, where did he get to? Fluffy? Fluffy!"
There is a screech, halfway between a hoot and a growl, and then a feathered, black-bear-like creature with the head of an over-sized owl trundles into the room.
Radagast pulls a strip of dried meat out of his belt pouch, and tosses it the creature, who rips it out of the air with surprising speed, and hungrily devours it.
"Good boy! This is Fluffy. I have had him since he was an egg. His training is going fairly well - he hardly ever bites strangers, or people who surprise him, these days, unless I tell him to..."
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Silgil, who grew up near the warped forest to the north of the Five Kingdoms, recognizes the beast immediately.
An owlbear. Nasty violent creatures. I do hope he has trained it well.
The dwarf is carrying a well made and ornate battle axe of dwarven make, though he does not seem to be sporting any armor. He does have a couple of wands strapped to his side, but then most pathfinders, even fighters, carry around a wand or two. He does not move like a monk, so its hard to make out just what his game is. Then again, that is nothing unusual for a pathfinder either.
The fourth and final day of training has come to a close at the Grand Lodge of Absalom, heralding the end of this year's Torchbearing. Pathfinders the world over attend this annual symposium to share their knowledge, teach each other new skills, and reinforce their connections across the Inner Sea and beyond. The Three Masters, as well as other notable Pathfinders, have been teaching a variety of classes during the Torchbearing to cover a wide variety of topics such as spellcasting techniques and the history of Golarion itself. For the more athletic Pathfinder agents, several obstacles have been provided, as well as a triathlon. Truly, the Torchbearing has something for every agent and this year's has been no exception.
To celebrate the end of festivities, the lodge has hosted a grand banquet in the visiting agents' honor - a good thing, too, as each of you have worked up quite the appetite over the course of the day. As you sit inside the Grand Lodge's great dining hall, a refreshing winter breeze blows through an open window, flickering torches and sending papers scattering. The smell of freshly baked desserts fills the air while initiates clear away the remnants of the massive first course, which featured such a variety of dishes and in such numbers that several of you even wonder if you've got any room left for dessert!
While everyone waits for dessert to be served, the tables in the dining hall buzz with conversation. A popular topic at your table as well as at several others is the class hosted by Venture-Captain Drendle Drang - ’Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: How to Play the Fool to Fool Your Enemies’. Several of your fellow agents chuckle as they recall the class, which featured such things as ridiculous disguises and the use of odd props and strange sayings in order to confuse and confound both friend and foe alike. Nearby, the halfling Janira Gavix can be seen sitting on the edge of one of the tables as she regales some of the junior agents about the time she'd narrowly escaped death at the hands of a fearsome minotaur, saved only by her fellow agents as well as some tricks she'd picked up at the Torchbearing held three or four years prior.
Looking all around, it's plain to see that everyone is enjoying themselves. The atmosphere is one of mirth and relaxation and camaraderie and in this moment in time, all truly does seem to be right with the world.
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After having a good laugh about Venture-Captain Drang’s class, a young woman with pale green eyes and dirty blonde hair who’d also joined you at your table smiles. "Isn’t this whole thing wonderful, New Friends? There’s been so much to see and learn over these few days!" Then, she pauses, as a frown flickers across her face for a moment. "Even though I keep feeling like I've done this before. Maybe I had a dream like this or something, that happens sometimes."
The woman's smile quickly returns and she eagerly turns to look at several of you. "What sorts of things did you get up to? I tried one of the obstacle courses earlier - I’m uh, not really all that graceful so I thought the extra practice might help me." She shakes her head. "I was doing okay with it, until this crazy chicken distracted me and made me fall off the rope I was trying to climb! Must’ve smelled the cornbread I have in my pack…"
The woman suddenly pauses, an odd look on her face. She gives her head a bit of a shake. "There it is again! I feel like I've already told this story before, but that's silly..."
Then, as if suddenly remembering her manners, she smiles again and sticks her hand out to each of you. "Sorry New Friends, I forgot to even tell you my name! I’m Corona Merrion and it’s really nice to meet all of you."
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Polanco can be found getting into a heated argument with Creighton Shaine over some oddly advanced level minutae regarding the age at which dragons grow size and specifically whether they age gradually...or advance whole size categories at arbitrary years.
Polanco is arguing the latter much to Shaines utter dismay. Still this probably enhances polancos understanding of the Arcane.
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Rogar doesn't mingle much but watches Janira intently. Eventually he approaches her. "I thought you were an imposter. But I think it is you after all. Great healing magics must have been used to bring you back. I am glad." He nods to her and walk back to his table.
To Corona
"I'm Rogar. And the obstacle courses were very hard but that is good."
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"Hello New Friends Rogar and Evarice," Corona waves down the table at the dwarf and the elf. "I'm glad you've gotten lots of stuff out of the classes! And actually, I think I remember you from the obstacle course," she adds to Rogar. "That was the awesomest leap you made off the top of the climbing wall! I uh...I had a little more trouble getting down from that than you did," Corona blushes.
As you continue to enjoy each other’s company, whether within the main banquet hall or from within the more secluded side room where the Restful Pathfinders' Lounge serves its members, you also happen to catch bits and pieces of other conversations happening around you. Now might be a good opportunity to pick up on the recent scuttlebutt or even learn a little more about the Torchbearing!
The Three Masters use the event to keep an eye out for particularly talented agents that embody the Pathfinder Society ideals: Explore, Report, and Cooperate.
At the end of the Torchbearing, the most exemplary agents are publicly recognized and given special wayfinders.
Sometimes Pathfinder agents disappear for hours during the course of events. Rumors suggest they are brought before The Decemvirate, but no one can agree on why.
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The front doors of Skyreach burst open with a loud crack. Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin strides to the edge of the platform, with a slender elf dressed in practical but expensive clothing trailing meekly behind. The red-faced venture-captain addresses the crowd in a booming voice.
“Pathfinders, I regret interrupting the festivities, but we have something of a situation. Approximately twenty minutes ago, unknown forces invaded the Blakros Museum. Fortunately for everyone involved, the Torchbearing is about cooperation and helping our colleagues, so let’s think of this less as an inconvenience and more as an opportunity to practice what we preach.”
The elf, Nigel, exhales sharply, then speaks, “Now, Ambrus, I’ve spent a king’s ransom fortifying the museum from all sorts of invaders: sentinels from the Golemworks, magical wards from the Arcanamirium, and even contracts for guard beasts, both magical and mundane—spared no expense. I didn’t want to come here, but I’ve got no choice.”
Valsin’s forced smile cracks slightly, showing his annoyance. “Out with it, Nigel. Get to the point.”
“Someone broke into my museum and set off the magical protections! I was preserving priceless Shining Crusade pieces for our new exhibit when the first alarm activated. I sent for district guards and went to investigate, but by the time I arrived, the thieves had already locked themselves in my study. They somehow caused the Shining Crusade relics to fly around the museum and attack my sentinels. Everything is going haywire! The magical traps started to target me, the sentinels are not responding to my commands, and—”
Valsin holds out a hand to steady the increasingly agitated elf. “The last you knew, the thieves were still in your study?” Nigel nods. “Very well. Pathfinders: the Seekers should prepare to teleport directly into the Blakros study—“
“That won’t work,” Nigel interrupts, “The study is magically sealed. After that dreadful Numerian exhibit, I turned it into a magical safe room. The robbers must have figured out how to activate it; no one can get in or out while the wards hold. I can work on breaking the wards, but meanwhile my sentinels are smashing up the collection. Some of those priceless relics are on loan from your own Society lodges, so helping me is really helping yourselves.”
“Fine.” Ambrus Valsin takes a deep breath and then turns to the assembled Pathfinders. “Pathfinders, go to the Blakros Museum, secure any relics you can, disable the security systems, and apprehend the looters if possible. Stay safe.”
As you continue chatting and mingling with your fellow agents, the desserts finally arrive! Practically any kind of sweet that you can imagine is available, from pies to cakes, cookies to fudge, and everything in-between. Truly, this is the best day ever - at least according to Corona, who eagerly digs into a scrumptious-looking turtle cheesecake. Later, as everyone is finishing up, a small origami swan flutters through the room and lands on the center of the table. In moments, it unfolds itself into a crisp and crease-less piece of paper.
Well, what a surprise! (Or not.) During your time in the Pathfinder Society some of you have probably heard of the Blakros Museum or perhaps you’ve even helped them out of a jam in the past. But clearly not everyone is familiar with the family or their establishment as some of your fellow agents look a bit confused as to who this Nigel is or why the Society has such an interest in maintaining a relationship with his employers. Thankfully though, some of you might be able to help fill in the gaps!
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What do you know about the Blakros family?
The Blakros are one of the wealthiest and most well-known merchant families from Taldor. They own a variety of businesses with interests all over the Inner Sea.
For years, the Pathfinder Society and the Blakros family have been allies, even if only at arm’s length. Occasionally the family invites notable Pathfinders to one of its high-society affairs.
The Blakros family has been involved with some shady organizations during its rise to power, including the Onyx Alliance and House Thrune.
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What do you know about the Blakros Museum?
The Blakros Museum is located in the Wise District, owned by the Blakros family, and curated by Nigel Aldain (a former Pathfinder). It is open to the public when an exhibit is on display. Though the exterior of the building is ugly and squat, patrons marvel at how much bigger it is on the inside.
The museum has been closed for the past several months, ramping up for a huge exhibit, “Legacy of the Shining Crusade,” opening next week.
Rumors suggest that shadow magic makes the inside of the museum larger. A few years ago the inside changed drastically, which drew the curiosity of many in Absalom.
Ralzeros the Overwatched was a powerful wizard who owned the building before the Blakros Family. Evidence suggests he cursed the building on his death. The number of accidents and strange events that occur there would seem to support that rumor.
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What do you know about Nigel Aldain?
Though the relationship between the Society and Nigel is often strained, they remain steadfast allies. Nigel often collaborates with the Society, loaning artifacts and trading information. He has obsessively researched the Shining Crusade for the past several months.
Nigel is a former Pathfinder who resigned after marrying Dhrami Blakros; the position of curator was part of his marriage contract.
Nigel’s museum has suffered many mishaps since he became curator, which the Society has regularly helped clean up. Nigel still tries to distance himself from the Society and act independently, but when trouble befalls the museum, he often turns to the Society for help.
Recently, Nigel has spent a fortune in security for the museum, particularly in magical protections from the Arcanamirium and Golemworks in Magnimar.
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Radagast nods happily.
"Ah, Nigel! He looks substantially less simian than the last time I encountered him. It's good to see that his time as an ape-man hasn't had a permanent effect on him. I'll be interested to see what has happened to the exhibits this time around..."
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Evarice spends some time studying the arrangement of the dessert plate. Mixing the red and blue berries like that with a criss cross of syrup really brings you insight on the cook's mind.
Evarice doesn't remember anything specific about the Torchbearing.
But never mind that, Venture Captain Valsin and... Nigel... entered and begin blabbing. Dessert will have to wait.
"The Blakros family. Wealthy, connected Taldor business family. They have dealings all over the Inner Sea."
"The museum is in the Wise District. Nigel here is the curator. It's confusing how big it is on the inside, but I'm sure the Blakros owners pay for that somehow."
"Nigel's a former Pathfinder, that's all I know about him." she tries to avoid eye contact with him as she hefts her gear.
"Let's head to the museum and see what's going on..."
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With your orders clear you fall in with the throng of other Pathfinder agents, making your way through the crowded streets of Absalom. As you approach your destination you can see that dozens of Wise District guards surround the Blakros Museum. The sergeant nods to Ambrus Valsin as he approaches, a subtle smirk dancing across the venture-captain’s face. The museum itself is alight with swirling whorls of color and the sounds of metal and stone clashing. Occasionally, brief flashes of light burst from the front entrance, illuminating a toppled banner that says "Legacy of the Shining Crusade."
The broad-shouldered, middle-aged Ulfen man salutes, a somewhat bemused expression on his face. "Well met, Venture-Captain Valsin. I am Svaralk of Asleifar, Sergeant of the Learned Guard. The Guard appreciates your assistance." He points to his subordinates, "Our initial attempt to quell the animated relics within failed. I’ve ordered the Guard to withdraw and form a perimeter." Ambrus Valsin returns the sergeant’s salute, a gesture of mutual respect. "You once served in Grand Prince Stavian III’s Ulfen Guard, did you not?"
Svaralk nods, "That’s right. Afterwards, I retired to Absalom and have served this city for seven years. This is not the first catastrophe I’ve responded to at the Blakros Museum, though none has been quite so dramatic as this. As if anyone needed further proof of the museum’s reputation for trouble."
The Ulfen confides to the Venture-Captain, "After Nigel Aldain harangued me for dereliction of duty in not immediately retaking the museum, I’m in no rush to sacrifice the lives under my command until the warring creatures inside wear each other down." He holds up a hand and shakes his head, "I don’t hold Nigel Aldain’s outburst against him. I recognize the elf is rightfully concerned—albeit rather precious—about his exhibit."
Svaralk turns to your team of Pathfinders and says, "Before you enter, I can provide you an overview of the museum’s layout and tell you that there are animated relics and guard animals on the ground level, and clockwork creatures skirmishing with each other on the floor above. We also have an especially challenging problem in the gardens at the southeast corner of the museum grounds. Some kind of magical runes displaying swarm-like behavior, more magical devices really than living creatures. They proved too complicated a challenge for me and my guards; we simply lacked the skills to disable them."
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Jinsa pulls his first scroll from his belt and activates it.
He then pulls his rod and channels his magic through it bolstering his life force through necromatic energies.
With his defenses up, he places his rod in his waistband and draws a sleek wand of dark wood with a clear crystal tip.
Jinsa then approaches the front door and pull them open, not wanting to delay.
"Let get this over with...again"
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Once all your preparations are complete, you boldly open the museum's front doors and begin making your way inside the entry hall. The first sight that greets your eyes is a giant statue of current Blakros matriarch Hamaria, her arms spread as if welcoming you to the museum. Various banners hang from the walls, each with a listing of a specific exhibit and where in the museum it may be found. Luckily there are no immediate threats lurking within the entrance hall and you carefully open one of the sets of double-doors that sit to either side of Hamaria's statue.
In this room, which is more open, priceless Shining Crusade artifacts displayed on pedestals creak and move by some unseen force underneath a decorative banner that reads "The Shining Armory". Eerie light seems to dart between the objects while the din of a raging battle echoes throughout the chamber. The central feature is a low, artificial hill atop which stand two stuffed owlbears surrounded by shattered undead foes. Each of the beasts wears chainmail barding and an orange-and-black caparison depicting a stylized owlbear. It's odd though, as the display has a rather large, empty spot within it - as if there were another creature or statute that had been part of the exhibit. The other things that draws your eyes is the body of dead man dressed in furs lying on the floor before a suit of full-plate armor.
You spend the briefest of moments wondering how the dead man met his fate when you hear movement from the far side of the room. From the shadows steps an enormous, stuffed creature, an amalgam of fur and feathers...simultaneously answering the questions of what killed the man on the floor and where the missing part of the exhibit must have gone.
Of all things, this is an animated owlbear mascot - not a true, living owlbear.
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
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Round 1
Rogar
Polanco
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Red
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Radagast + Fluffy
Evarice
Yen
Silgil
Active Conditions: None
Rogar and Polanco are UP!
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Polanco has, amusingly, never been in the museum and isn't quite certain what he's getting himself into.
He does however, know a ting or two about autonomous constructs and feels a bit more at ease when this turns out to be a slashy slashy sort of mission.
He has studied constructs extensively and knows they generally have some kind of amusing Weakness or Vulnerability and that they generally have some sort of resistance to damage types.
He then moves closer while drawing a javelin and then chucks it at the bear UNLESS he found out that the bear resists piercing damage, in which case he simply double moves and draws the most appropriate of his weapons given the information he knows, defaulting to the Terbutje if cold iron or silver are not needed.
While Rogar cautiously advances and prepares to rassle the strange creature and Evarice declares that she IS the law, Polanco studies the thing and realizes that he knows some things about the thing. He knows while it looks like an owlbear, it's not actually the real thing but a mascot - an object animated by a wily spirit. And since it's animated by a wily spirit - haunted, even - it's vulnerable to positive energy as an undead would be. More annoying is the reinforced nature of the mascot itself, which will make it more difficult to destroy than a person might think at first.
Feeling confident that he and his companions can handle the mascot, hardness or not, Polanco then moves forward and heaves a javelin at it! Unfortunately, the javelin misses the mark - though not by much - and sinks into the wall behind the mascot.
The mascot comes lumbering forward, heading for Polanco who is the closest. While the creature is able to close the distance to the brave dwarf, it's unable to take a swing at him with it's massive clawed appendages.
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Round 1/Round 2
Rogar
Polanco
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Red
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Radagast + Fluffy
Evarice
Yen
Silgil
Active Conditions: None
Everyone is UP!
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Polanco calls out This beast is hard! So save yer energy spells ya nerds and bust out the adamantine if you've got it! Also its haunted - channeling should werk nice n' good
Polanco then looses his terbutje and begin to move around the beast, but is careful to keep from blocking Radagast and fluffy from getting into combat this turn and begins taking the long way around.
Polanco unleashes his terbutje - on his good days he pronounces it TAIR BOOT YAY and on his bad just THE PADDLE - and lashes it hard at the beast with his skill.
It was made of solid yellowheart wood and was a gift from the Ekujae elves deep in the Mwangi expanse. He wondered idly if this was the first time one was ever used against an Owlbear which aren't native to that continent.
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Silgil casts a DC 16 Grease spell under it.
"The children relish it when I make an unctuous strip. Enjoy."
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As soon as the mascot moves within grabbing distance, Rogar's hands shoot out and immediately wrangle the creature into a firm headlock! The mascot flails wildly, not even able to retaliate against the surprisingly strong and agile dwarf.
With the creature immobilized, Polanco calls for the others to bring their best adamantine weapons and positive energy spells to the party as he begins circling around to get behind it. Radagast and Fluffy both come in at the mascot swinging and while Fluffy isn't able to connect with his teeth, Radagast's scythe slices into the mascot's furred and feathered hide. While the blow doesn't do as much damage as he would've liked, it still leaves a nice tear in its wake.
Rogar, having the mascot firmly held, attempts to shift his weight around and get the mascot in a bear hug...and succeeds!
Deciding to wisely hang back, both Yen and Evarice bring magic to bear against the mascot. While Yen's missile connects, the damage seems to be completely negated by the creature's reinforced hide.
On the other hand, Evarice's channeled energy does seem to affect the construct! Not as much as she'd been hoping for, but it does prove that Polanco was right.
To add some additional confusion and mayhem, Silgil conjures a puddle of grease underneath the mascot!
And despite having a dwarf pinning its arms firmly against its sides, the mascot manages to keep its feet! It struggles to break free of the dwarf's pin...
...but can't do it, no matter how hard it tries. With Rogar wrestling the mascot to the ground and keeping it firmly pinned, the rest of you have little trouble eventually beating the thing into a unmoving, broken mess.
Combat Over!
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