"Ah," Valai says, turning to face Natalya and striking a pose, one hand on her hip and the other on the table. "Feeling better, are we?" She quirks an eyebrow. "No more urges to conquer all of Magnimar with an army of Goblins and stirges? Mind you, that was mildly impressive. How did you enlist the stirges?"
"The stirges... ?" She shakes her head, not comprehending the question at first. "The goblins!" as if just remembering. "Everything after finding the Shard if fuzzy - insane. I think the stirges were pets that came with one of them. There was a door in one of the chambers of the crow that no one else had found. Inside was an old corpse - not Thassilon old, but long since decayed. I found the shard in a bag it was carrying."
"Shortly after that I began to lose my mind and destroy my own life."
Sheila weighs options, circling the room.
"As Venture-caption, my place is here - keeping this house open to you as long as you act as members or agents of the society. Archisa has graciously agreed to take our friend Judah," turning to the half-orc brooding in the corner, "in an apprentice role at the museum - which will give her a chance to observe your episodes first hand. She will try to help you, and will also start the search for the ioun stones we need to break the curses of the Shards."
"Koriah, you're welcome to stay at Velora and work here to compile your notes for as long as you need."
"The expedition to Jorgenfist is going forward despite the revelation of the Shard. Too many plans have been laid - that was to be the subject of this meeting! Canayven, Shevala, Dimral and St Germain will form this team."
"Valai, you're in possession of the Shard of Pride. It's a strong first step towards field commissions for the lot of you, and offers a clear lead. The remainder of the group: Valai, Rommin, Lawson, Afli, Appenrel and Amadia, you should pursue this lead to the crow. The chambers within the pilings have been explored many times, so whatever is still there is well hidden."
"Natalya, your road back into the good graces of the society is to tell this group as much as you can about the crow."
"If we are going to attempt to retrieve the Shard of Greed, I must insist on some equipment," Valai says. "To be precise, a blacksmith's tongs and a metal box with a stout lock, preferably one lined with lead. If the Shard of Greed affects its bearer as the Shard of Pride did with myself and Ms. Vancaskerkin, it might otherwise be impossible to get whoever picks the thing up from letting it go, unless you can find us that ioun stone very quickly."
Natalya's smirk looks more like a grimace. The headache's evidently still there. "You seem to be under the impression the you're going to waltz into tower girl turf and take what you want. Those ladies don't play games - they fight to kill, especially when cornered. After the scrap with the Blades they're more desperate and eager than ever."
Archisa replies on the ioun stone with a smile. "We'll see what can be scrounged up on the collector's market here in the city. Magnimar is a very good place for this kind of thing."
"Who leads them?", Amadia asks curiously.
"If it's a fight they want it's a fight they'll get, just mostly from them." Afli points at his companions "I'm not much good in a straight fight, but I'll do my best to assist, and record our exploits."
I'd like to roll a knowledge check on magnimar monument boons, because I get bonuses to it from my campaign trait, and I have no idea that that means.
I'm not sure if it would be history or local, so I'll roll both
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"If the Tower Girls don't have enough sense to stay out of Pathfinder business then they won't survive as a gang for much longer." Lawson says as he looks at Natalya. "If you have anything more to add to our investigation, now would be a good time to mention it. What was the nature of their scrap with the Blades? Territory?
Natalya looks from Amadia to Lawson and back again, plainly weighing her options. "It was territory, same as always. The girls lost their guild hall in the lower Dockway and were on the run for a little. The play for the crow was a stupid, desperate decision. But I guess it kind of scored, didn't it? The girls are cut off from the city out there in the piling - it was just supposed to be an expedition. And it was successful, because I found that." She points to the shard in Valai's hand.
"Since then I suppose they've been trying to find more secrets like the one I found before I deserted them. But that was the one sane thing I did while under the spell of the shard - leaving the Tower Girls. I'm truly done with them... Ayala and some of her inner circle have a bit of the rat in them, if you take my meaning... That's not something I care to add to my portfolio."
"Her roots are somewhere else - same as mine. She's a megalomaniac with no shard to use as an excuse. She likes to fight with blades she conceals in her scarves, so don't fall for coy."
Sheila makes her way across the parlor, back to the doors and opens them. "Natalya, I think its in everyone's interest if you stay out of sight until this plays out. I think you should stay here for now, get your wits about you. We need to discuss our agreement in light of recent events, and the tower girls' imminent fall."
She gestures for house guards to enter.
Through the windows of the parlor you can glimpse the failing mid afternoon sun. The breeze is kicking up as clouds bring patches of rain off the bay to rinse the city.
So that it isn't forgotten, at some point in this conversation Sheila deposits a heavy purse of coin on the table before Rommin and Valai (500 gp total), an advance on the discovery of the shard with the understanding that the item will be documented. "Similarly, illustrations of statues, frescoes, inscriptions. Maps of sites explored. These items submitted to this chapter house will earn similar awards. Submission of the material and possible inclusion in the chronicle - instant fame."
"A weapon with silver is of great use against a Lycanthrope, specifically, I would also be on guard for rats, or rat swarms, since apparently Were-Rats have some semblance of control over these creatures", Amadia informs the group, idly flicking through her notebook where her entry on Lycanthropy and Were-Rats was recorded. "I would also carry precautions against disease, apparently their bite is rather unhygienic!"
"There might be something in the armory downstairs. You can have your own weapons treated by a qualified alchemist to silver them, but it does tend to take something off their normal efficacy, so we don't keep silvered weapons as a rule."
She waives a servant off with the task of searching the armories and continues.
"I have a contact at the Shipbuilder's guild who can get his hands on a spare ship's boat or something to allow you to row out to the piling."
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Happy to have some silvered weapons to fall back on Lawson thanks Shelia then turns to the party. "Anyone able to use any of these? Unfortunately I'd be more likely to take my own hand off with these weapons than be of help."
"That works for me. I'd rather not swim." Lawson said. "What's our plan now? Are we ready to set off?"
Amadia examines the weapons with slight distaste, curling her lip slightly. "I don't generally solve my conflicts by, how do I put this...bashing someone around with a hunk of metal?"
She pauses slightly, "I'm ready to set off whenever everyone else is, although sadly my cognotogen is spent for the duration of the day".
"I already have a silver weapon," Valai says. "For rat swarms... I shall prepare the Burning Hands spell." Fingers drumming on the hilt of her blade, she frowns in thought. "Probably best if I prepare it twice... I will be foregoing precision damage in favour of area attacks this time."
The Elfmaid's eyes flash to Natalya.
"The Tower Girls. How many strong are they, did you say? And what are their specialties? Traps, archery, swordsmanship, magic, what?"
These are a bit large an unwieldy for me as well. If we have time, I would like to purchase some silver weapon blanch for my weapons instead, do you know if a shop nearby that would have a sizable quantity, I would think I would want 3-4 doses. Does anyone else need some?
If you promise to stab one for me, I've got gold enough to buy plenty of Silver blanch. I was gonna buy 3 for me self. 1 for 10 bolt, one for a dagger, and one extra just in case. Do you want 3 as well?
"They're catburglars and cutthroats. There's not more than a dozen of them left since the fight down in Rag's End. Sure they'll have defenses prepared and lookouts posted."
Sheila names a trustworthy armorer in Beacon's Point who'll have the substance at a fair price.
"I suggest we rest up for today, after everyone has completed their purchases, and we leave early in the morning," Valai says. "Wererats and their scurrying ilk would have an advantage in the dark, and traps would be that much harder to spot."
The Elfmaiden frowns, then says: "I think I should like to try and get my hands on an ioun torch. If we are travelling into the bowels of one of the pilings, light is going to be at a premium."
The Wizard purses her lips at the mention of weapon blanches, though. "Heed my advice; purchasing weapon blanches is best reserved for ranged weapons. For melee, you need a weapon that maintains its effect blow after blow."
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Lawson nods "I appreciate the offer Afli, but I wouldn't have a hand free to be able to apply it in the heat of the moment." He said patting his hands on his blades. "I'm happy we have a few permanently silvered weapons which will definitely help if we get into that sort of mess."
Lawson nods at Valai "You all must have had a long day. Unless there is a seriously pressing need, I'm okay with waiting for the morning."
"I'm perfectly fine with waiting until tomorrow to deal with this...it gives me time to prepare my own extracts on an as needed basis", the Alchemist responds.
Afli will buy 4 silver blanchs for a total of 20 gold.
I understand miss, my melee strikes don't hurt much anyway. I'll either bolt em, or i'll assist people who have the silver weapons. Morning it is then, I'll spend the time making preparations of my own,
Afli will apply 1 of his blanchs to 10 of his bolts, 1 blanch to his cestus, will whetstone his rapier, cestus, dagger, and scorpion whip, and will record the days happenings for his book.
Sheila turns back to the parlor doors and to the ongoing planning session beyond them.
"The coach stands just outside - go ahead and use it for this run into town and tell the man we're done for the day when you return. No one here is leaving anytime soon I'm afraid." The doors shut behind her and she's gone.
Outside the rain is just starting so you're especially happy for the coach. Happy too that Archisa agrees to tag along, and that the merchant Sheila recommended is just off the avenue so you only have a quick dash through the rain to enter the shop. By the time you emerge from the first place, blanche in hand, the rain has passed and the streets are cooler and cleaner for it.
Archisa then leads you through a large green park in the middle of the lower city known as the Seerspring Gardens. In the center of the park, you pass by a placid pool of water with a bronze statue at its center. The statue is of a woman with prayerful hands pointed down, the same direction as her gaze.
On the farside of the park, across another borad avenue is Lowcleft District, also known as 'The Rubble'. Archisa takes you to the shop of a frumpy old man with an astounding collection of scrolls. The sleep, feather fall and color spray are easy finds. From there you walk just down the street to find the Deadeye Lodge, House of Erastil. The priests of the lodge raise funds for the poor by selling potions, and the cure potions are soon in your possession.
By the time you reach the waiting coach, the sun has started to set on the city, making a magnificent view as you make your way back up the long slope and onto the Summit. One by one the colored lamps of Lowcleft wink into life and its easy to regret the lost night on the town. But hard business awaits in the morning.
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I assume we move in on the Crow.
That reminds me tho, at some stage Amadia might like to look at Valai's spellbook. I can copy spells from it onto my known formula (if a formula exists for the spell), at the standard rate.
Valai briefly pauses at the statue, smirks and adopts a basic meditation stance; any of the other Elves in the party should be able to recognize it. A little bit of time passes and regardless what happens, Valai proceeds with her shopping.
Her eyebrows rise incredulously when Amadia makes her request, then lower in a frown.
"I understand that alchemists have different traditions than wizards, so I shall try not to overreact," she says. "My spellbook is a very important thing to me. I barely know you. I am not even sure what your name is."
Amadia shrugs it off "I understand its important to you, so perhaps I can earn your favour at some point, it is true that I rather sprung this one you, and that was unforgivably rude of me".
Amadia briefly pauses, before brightening again "I know, lets start from scratch, my name is Amadia Tien-Mu, although just Amadia is fine, I'm an elf from Kyonin, and eager Alchemist...how are you?"
The first of you to wake finds a letter in the center of the dining room table from Sheila. In it she tells you that your contact at the Shipbuilder's Guild is Captain Perulo Strein, that he is a long-time friend of the society, and that he's been told to expect you. She also reminds you that the crow is the fifth western bridge piling (the first two on each side being on dry land and supporting the Irespan). Lastly she invites you to call on her coach so half the day is not wasted walking across town.
Though the sky is clear on the Summit, morning down in the port is a dripping fog. The ride down into it is a bumpy affair with the six of you crammed into the stage decked out for war. What little of the town there is to be seen through the thick windows and the thicker fog outside is still asleep. The earliest of shop owners along the avenue are just opening their doors and hanging out their placards as you rumble by on your way to the water's edge.
The stage comes to a halt and you fall out in the street. The driver points down the road toward the water, though not much of it can be seen through the soup. At the end of a short row of warehouses is the Shipbuilder's Guild and the extensive dockworks behind it. Through some trick of accounting much of the dockworks is leased to Magnimar's navy, and Captain Strein runs the victualing yard here. His office is not at the Guildhall itself, whose doors are actually still closed with no signs of life within, but around back at the docks.
Strein is a man of few words. He greets you, giving you what is probably his version of a smile, and waves you down the pier to a sturdy six bench ship's boat bobbing at the end of a ladder.
"End o slack water now," he says. "Quicker you get to it the easier it'll be, wherever you're going." He turns to go, but then remembers himself. Turning back, "You bring that boat back in the same shape you took it, right? It's no good to go wasting the city's timbers now - Society business or not."
"Tss!" Valai hisses as she comes to realize the meditation does not - and can not - bring her any benefit.
She quirks an eyebrow at Amadia's words and huffs quietly.
"Kyonin... Hmph! Fine; I am Valai Blackrune. Currently, I am eager to get the shopping done with and find my rest. I feel I shall duly need my magic tomorrow."
Valai draws her silver longsword, sits down in the middle of the boat, rests the sword between her legs and seizes an oar. If anyone gives her a look, she just raises an eyebrow.
"If something attacks us, I'm dropping this thing in favour of my sword," she says, "but I am not too proud to row when I need to. Everyone be wary; rats are excellent swimmers, and wererats no less so."