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An older Dwarf, stouter than many, grouchier than most, paces back and forth outside of the Grand Lodge "Report for more work they said. Startin' soon the notice said. Why where n the f%%$ is everybody?"
Ironshanks looks up at the weird Gnomish clocktower and strokes his long, graying beard. Stopping most of the way down as he notices a streak of reddish mud that escaped his attention earlier. "Damned I can't get away from that mud from Saurton. Sticky mud and cheap ass wine, and nothin' but a bunch of schemin', stuffy politicians that place!" He takes the edge of his cloak and wipes off the mud.
He hollers at a passing Elf "Hey Lady, when's the mission fer somethin' 'bout slave ships get underway? Some of us ain't got time fer dancin n loungin!" He squints a bit and puffs his chest out as the Elf gives him the finger and keeps on going. "Hey I saw that ya piece of s!~~! You are a LADY, YOU KEEP WALKIN NANCY!" Maybe I wouldn't get them mixed up with women if they stopped wearing those ridiculous skinny pants and actually grew a BEARD like a real man!
Venture-Captain Alissa Moldreserva, a fiery red-headed woman who climbed from the depths of Galtan revolution to become one of the Society’s finest (and most well-connected) venturecaptains, stands in the great meeting hall of the Grand Lodge in Absalom. She stares down her hawkish nose and sighs. “I ask for the best and they send me you. Lucky me. The Society’s best contact in Osirion, Grand Ambassador Dremdhet Salhar, informed me this morning that his lovely Chelish wife, the Lady Anilah Salhar, was kidnapped and sold into slavery.
“Normally, I wouldn’t care a bulette’s eyeball about who was or was not enslaved in Absalom, but Salhar is the Society’s best avenue for acquiring all of the necessary official paperwork to make our frequent delves into the tombs of Osirion cheap and legal. This is a relationship we want to preserve and since the Ambassador made it clear that our status is in jeopardy, I’ve been instructed to send our best agents to find her and return her safely to Salhar.
“I guess you’ll do.
“Salhar hasn’t sat idle since his wife was taken—his own agents are prowling the streets and dug up one possible lead. A one-eyed Andoren, a grit junky named Fredrik, is known for selling or helping to sell nobility into foreign markets that desire house slaves. Being enormously illegal, this trade makes Fredrik a fair bit of coin that Salhar’s agents assure me all go straight into the pockets of the Second Chance, a grit den dockside in Puddles. That’s all I have to get you started. Go quickly. The fate of our Osirian exploits is in your hands.”
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Ahmande grows more an more incensed as Moldreserva details the assignment.
On the one hand, her dismissive insults fly as fast as she speaks. Ahmande had undertaken some dangerous assignments for the Pathfinders these past months, and had accomplished all of the Society's goals despite long odds and dangerous threats.
It's only when Mordreserva gets into the details that he pushes that down. Slavery was an abomination; it needed to be ended in Absalom. I know they'd never make this effort for a dockworker.... But any chance to fight slavery was a good chance.
He tamps down his bruised ego and commits himself to the assignment.
"So, we need to infiltrate a street drug den to find our mark and get more information?" He starts thinking about some disguise pieces to appear more natural in that kind of place. "Anything you can tell us about it?"
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Ironshanks stares daggers as the woman berates the group for no reason If she wasn't a Captain I'd smack that look off her face! He maintains his stance and listens as best he can, his heart beats and blood pressure downing out some of her words.
"Smash some heads, get some names, smash more heads, find the woman. Got it." He shakes his head, mumbling a bit before adding in a question, almost as if he doesn't want to. "So what's this woman look like? If we find a body in a ditch somewheres it be good to know it ain't her."
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The Iobarian sits impassively as the venture-captain deals out the insults and rolls his eyes at the concern over the noblewoman.
"So. Thousands of lives are crushed in gutter every day and you do nothink, but wife of Osiriani parasite is kidnapped, now you want us to overturn every rock of Absalom to find her. Red Ivan does not do this for you. Red Ivan does this because every life in bondage is of value, even life of former oppressor. Glorious people's revolution shall continue everywhere, even in the hearts of those enslaved -- perhaps liberation of woman shall spark flame that will burn decadent bourgeois institution of slavery out of Absalom forever."
His thick accent and brutish demeanor contrast with the way he easily spouts Galtan-style revolutionary ideology. Red Ivan stands, a cold iron hammer and sickle on his belt. "We shall go deal with Fredrik, traitor to proletariat."
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Ahmande grins at Red Ivan's eloquent outburst. I like the way he thinks! "Whooo, and I thought I was revolutionary, Ivan. I'm with you; let's free all the slaves we find!"
He checks with the VC and the others to be sure nobody else has questions, then moves to the door so they can head to the Puddles to find the Second Chance tavern.
Venture-Captain Alissa shakes her head. “You will be responsible for the Society’s losses in Osirion with your incessant questions. I’ve told you all I know—if you desire further employment beneath these hallowed pillars, you’ll think twice before asking me inane questions. Be gone!”
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You make your way to the Puddles district and ask around for the Second Chance tavern. A few simple directions later, you arrive at its doors and push your way in. The building has one main entrance and three small entrances on the back and sides. A sign stuck into the mud out front proclaims, in scratchy handwriting:
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You hear the telltale signs of a bar brawl going on as you make your way inside. Dimly lit by cheap oil lamps sputtering on walls punctuated by painted-over windows, the Second Chance reeks of unwashed humanity and pungent ash. Threads of sickly sweet smoke drift like smog from tin hookahs. Ale kegs lurk in each corner, and cheap clay mugs hang from nails on the walls. Of the more immediate concern are the junkies arrayed in various piles, beating on one another. Some have thrown their opponent onto tables or into chairs. All fight with fists or teeth or nails.
Toward the back, what looks to be the bartender by his dirty apron stands by the back door, a corpse at his feet, scimitar dripping with blood.
In the center of the tavern, a junky stands atop a table kicking at three others, trying to fend them off. One of the thugs shouts up at him, "Fredrick! Come on man, we can turn you in for a month's worth of fixes. Come on! You'd do that for a friend right?"
What do you do?
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Ironshanks looks around the room at the chaos and the bar fight and smiles a bit "Well ain't this place a sight fer old eyes. Do ya need an invitation to get yer hands dirty er?" The old Dwarf pulls off his gauntlets and cracks his knuckles just in case.
He laughs and turns to his companions and whispers "Someone should be goin' round back to block that door eh?"
The junkies pay no heed to Ahmandé and Graff's calls, their blood up too much from the drugs.
Fredrick kicks at them some more, rickety table wobbling. "L-L-Leave me alone!"
The bartender, Elo holds out his scimitar and shouts at you, "You boys better not be intending to use weapons in here. Fists only!" He points to the dead man at his feet. "He didn't listen!"
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Ahmande begins a tale about a time that Nieford Sharrowsmith found himself in the middle of group of angry kobolds, having fallen into the den in the Kaava Lands while he was exploring. He'd lost his weapons in the fall, and had to defeat a small, angry tribe entirely unarmed!
A 1st-level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard's performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
"Hey!" One of the thugs shouts as Ironshanks barrels into him from behind. He stands there for a lucid moment before crumpling to the floor, unconscious. The others turn to look at you, froth lining the corners of their mouths. They howl unintelligible battle cries and leap into the fight.
In Combat!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage
Environmental effects:
Round 1
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee
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Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue, Yellow)
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Red Ivan
Graff Leogil
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With the "no weapons" rules, Ahmande has no good way to enter combat; he chuckles to himself when he imagines getting into fisticuffs with someone. He continues his inspiring tale of Sharrowsmith unarmed versus the kobolds as he slowly moves away from the door, and the fighting that's happening near it. He does prepare himself for the possiblity that he might have to fight though; he keeps an eye on anyone who might approach.
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"HA!" Rumbles Ironshanks as his fist cold cocks the junkie. "This s~&* is far better than all that politics crap I dealt with last week!" The old dwarf goes all in as he charges the yellow bearded man headfirst, looking to knock him on his ass.
"Wooooo! Like the good ole days at boot camp!" He says after his head crushes the man's nose.
"Hey, stoppp hitting them!" The last thug standing says as his friend smacks to the floor after Ironshanks's hay-maker.
He forgets Fredrik and moves around the table, throwing a punch at the dwarf. The punch looks damaging enough, proper weight thrown into it, but the junky's aim is way off due to the grit in his system and he only manages to hit air.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage
Environmental effects:
Round 1
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee
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Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue, Yellow (8 NL, unconscious))
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Red Ivan
Graff Leogil
Red Ivan’s strike connects hard with the junky’s jaw, sending splatters of blood across the tables due to the spikes on his gauntlets. The man slumps over, bleeding profusely. At seeing this display of violence, the bartender’s face darkens. ”I said no weapons in the Second Chance. You’re dead. Slobber, get’em!”
The dog in the corner perks up immediately and rushes the Pathfinders. The bartender stalks over with his gleaming, well-made scimitar.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage
Environmental effects:
Round 2
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee
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Elo
Slobber
Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue (-10 (dying), Yellow (8 NL, unconscious))
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Red Ivan
Graff Leogil
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Ironshanks looks up at Ivan and his bloody spiked gauntlets "You daft er just harda hearin Ivan? Way ta ruin a perfectly good fist fight!" Ironshanks draws out his shield and waraxe and takes a step down next to the bartender.
"Look 'er, we'll patch that fella up, Ivan's not from round 'ere. Call off the fackin dog alright?" Ironshanks gives a look to Ahmandé.
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As he continues to inspire his allies with additional quips about Sharrowsmith, Ahmande takes a hard, wide stance, and suddenly shouts at the dog, trying to shake its confidence.
Demoralize: You can use this skill to cause an opponent to become shaken for a number of rounds. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target's Hit Dice + the target's Wisdom modifier. If you are successful, the target is shaken for 1 round. This duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat the DC. You can only threaten an opponent in this way if they are within 30 feet and can clearly see and hear you. Using demoralize on the same creature only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition.
Slobber puts its tail between its legs and whimpers at Ahmandé's shout.
Elo says, "Dead is dead. Second Chance's reputation won't be tarnished by the likes of you. Slobber, quit muckin' about and attack that one!"
The bartender strikes out with his scimitar at Ivan and Slobber tries to bite at his legs, the two practiced at working together. The scimitar bites deep into Ivan's shoulder, just barely missing an artery.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage
Environmental effects:
Round 2
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee
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Elo
Slobber (shaken 1 round)
Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue (-11 (dying), Yellow (8 NL, unconscious))
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Red Ivan (-9)
Graff Leogil
"Get back here, mangy coward!" calls Elo as Ivan makes a run for it. He only looks on as Graff yells at him, the hardened bartender completely unaffected.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage
Environmental effects:
Round 3
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee
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Elo
Slobber (shaken 1 round)
Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue (-11 (dying), Yellow (8 NL, unconscious))
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Red Ivan (-9)
Graff Leogil
Elo says to Ahmandé, "Fredrik's just bruised. YOU are the ones come in 'ere tryin' ta kill people. Rules are rules, and there's STILL weapons out. When are you thugs gonna learn to obey the rules?!"
Ironshanks's axe connects solidly with the bartender's scimitar, but the blade can't bite in all the way and slides off of the tough metal. Amidst the combat everyone sees the thug with the blue bandanna's chest rise and fall one last time before the man goes still, dead. Elo looks at Ironshanks, anger contorting his face. He growls, "You want my blade? I'll run you through with it. Slobber, get behind 'im!" He waits for Slobber to flank, and then lashes out with his gleaming scimitar once more.
Slobber signals its obedience with another growl, one very similar to Elo's. It rushes past the knocked out junkies and past Ironshanks to end up on the other side of its master. Both miss with their attacks.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 3 / 4
Ahmandé
Ironshanks Magee (AoO available on Slobber)
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Elo
Slobber
Grit Junkies (Red (6 NL, unconscious), Blue (dead), Yellow (8 NL, unconscious))
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Red Ivan (-9)
Graff Leogil
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Ivan sees that his retreat did nothing to cool the violence. "Fine then. Petty bourgeoisie bartender thinks he is lord, can kill who he pleases for breakink his own rules. Death of blue babushka-wearink man is on his hands. Ivan has wand, was goink to stabilize him."
Ivan pulls out the People's Hero, as he calls his hammer, and marches back in to strike back at the bartender.
"FEEL WRATH OF PROLETARIAT!"
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Ahmandé simply holds his hands out from his sides, open and facing up. He didn't have a weapon, never used a weapon, and wasn't going to be able to talk sense into the owner or his companions.
He hoped nobody else had to die. This is great. We're supposed to be freeing slaves and instead we're murdering addicts and a bartender. And probably his innocent guard dog too.
Ivan cracks Elo over the head with his hammer with a sickly snap. The bartender slumps to the ground, dying. Seeing its master fall, Slobber whines and backs away, tail between its legs.
Meanwhile, Fredrik, seeing his way out, decides to make a run for it. He hops down off of the table but trips on a chair leg, and the next moment he lay sprawled on the tavern floor, scratching his skin all over and saying "No no no no, let me gogogogo!" before anyone has touched him.
"Whoa man! Whadd'ya want?!" Fredrik hacks up a bloody cough, red phlegm foaming on his lips as the dwarf pulls him up.
Fredrik is on death's door and coming down off of his latest grit high.
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Ironshanks gives him a look "You ain't lookin' so keen. Maybe if you help us out with some info we'll help you out... again." The old dwarf keeps a hand muckled on to the guy's shirt as he asks his questions.
"We're lookin' fer a lady, a rich, royal-like lady. Chelish, goes by the name Lady Anilah Salhar. We know you're into that s~*$, so fill us in."
Elo is still unconscious, but stable.
Fredrik says, "I fobbed her off on Pardu Pildapush at his office in the Pits. 'Nough gold for a whole week o'grit!"
The Pits are known throughout Abasalom as Misery Row.
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"He means Misery Row." Ahmande shakes his head. "Okay, this isn't going to be fun, but we're going to have to go find a slave barker. Remember, it's legal... we may have to look past a few things--at least for a little while--to find our Lady Salhar."
He bends down to assist Ivan with Fredrik, heaving the man up by the shoulder. "Let's get him to a temple. He'll need more help than we can give. Hopefully he doesn't come right back here." Looking at Ivan, he asks "is the bartender going to be okay?"