Thracius |
dot
GM Eddv |
Ok thing have hopefully calmed down a bit for me so I feel comfortable starting this up now
The 5 of you have received summons to meet the venture captain Ambrus Valdin at the docks of Absalom - presumably to receive word of some mission meant for fresh-legged pathfinders such as yourselves.
Water laps steadily at the pier as sailors, laborers, and merchants rush busily around Absalom venture aboard the Sixwing Drake, a sleek sailing ship. The Drake's captain, a fellow Pathfinder named Zarah Zendrani, stands at the helm of her vessel. It's unlike Ambrus to be late, she muttered, furrowing her brow.
As if on cue, a tall and meticulously groomed man pushes his way through the crowd and up the gangplank, cursing audibly.
Whoever supervises this mess of a port needs to be dumped in the sea!
The tall man looks around at those gathered before him.
Ah yes, just the group I requested. Perfect. I
am Ambrus Valsin, and I took great care in selecting just the right Pathfinders for this assignment.
Valsin reaches into his belt pouch and withdraws a small, folded paper before continuing.
I recently received a note from a rather unexpected source. It's not every day I get a request from an agent of the Aspis Consortium!
Captain Zendrani gives him a knowing look and the Venture-Captain waggles his eyebrows at her before continuing.
However, this Delroya does not appear to be your typical Aspis agent. As you surely know, the Aspis Consortium pursues a variety of activities across the Inner Sea that the Pathfinder Society finds abhorrent. It seems that Delroya has been working with them for some time, but can no longer stomach the snakes herself. She wants to stop a shipment of an experimental drug from leaving Diobel later this week.
According to Delroya, she cannot go to the authorities for help, because the Aspis Consortium has already struck a deal with a faction of the Kortos Consortium, a powerful merchant collective. Her hands are tied, so she went to us for help.
In this note, she outlines three different tasks that would help to disrupt the Aspis long enough for her to move the shipment to a secure location, out of the clutches of the consortium. Once you accomplish two of these tasks, she willing to meet with you, but not before.
Normally I wouldn't trust an Aspis agent any time of the day. But our sources in Diobel have confirmed the Aspis and Kortos consortia have been working together, and so we are presented with a unique opportunity. If we help Delroya, we might not only strike a financial blow against the Aspis Consortium, but we could also reveal their dealings with the Kortos Consortium and prevent that partnership from turning into a more formal alliance. Furthermore, we hope to stop this drug from spreading across the Inner Sea region, and if we can convince Delroya to join the Society, a turncoat agent would be a valuable asset in our ongoing run-ins with the snakes.“
He hands the note over to Thracius
"Take some time to look over these notes and the tasks she has set for you. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask..... And remember, the Aspis Consortium is a long standing enemy of the society, but the Kortos Consortium, while certainly suspicious, is not our enemy. It is a complex organization with many factions, and we should avoid antagonizing any of them, except when necessary to oppose the Aspis Consortium."
Check out the Map and Handouts link for the notes
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
A tall and lithe elf walks in wearing brown and green garb with a raven on her shoulder. She listens to the brief and then says "I have heard of these Aspis. We will do our best." Turning to Thracius she says "ನೀವು ಮತ್ತೆ ಅಣ್ಣ ನೋಡಲು ಉತ್ತಮ"
"It is good to see you again elder brother"
Puk Laughington |
A Halfling perks up after reading the note, "Well I think we should interrupt this meeting and then deal with the alchemist. I already have a whole bit as to how to make everyone at the bar uncomfortable!" He says with a laugh, "Its a good one. Or we could dress up as town guard and raid the place for the fake pearls. Or be angry customers who just realized that we were swindled. As to the alchemist I say we just beat the crap out of him and bring him back here." He says looking very satisfied in his various different plans. "Of I'm Puk by the way, Puk Laughington."
Thracius |
A tall, willowy Elf with a silver sheen to his hair steps onto the docks awaiting the summons of Venture-Captain Valsin, from his bare feet and torso it is unsure of his profession, though there are sigils around his robe. A small tree-like humanoid creature stands on his shoulder, peaking out of the elf's hair.
Thracius takes the note graciously off the Venture captain with a shy nod and reads it over, before passing it to the rest of the group to read over. Seeing Sythka, he breaks out into a shy smile before replying with a formal bow
"Vedui' seler', amin heart linda a' elea lle once ner"
Thracius looks distastefully at the idea of raiding a sewer to fight the leper.
"Is there a need for the violent option? Could we not accomplish these tasks without senseless destruction of people or place?"
Puk Laughington |
"Well MAYBE we can talk him out of being a bad guy. Give it a shot there elfy." The gnome says, sarcasm basically dripping from his voice.
Sorry if Puk seems crass but hes a prankster bard. So It happens.
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
"ಸ್ವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ, ಬೇರೆ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಕಾರ್ಯದಿಂದ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಗ್ನೋಮ್ ಬಾರ್ಡ್" Sythka says smiling at Puk...
"heavens, another gnome bard with a different style of social charm"
GM Eddv |
Ambrus Valsin looks at you all perplexed
I didn't think I sent for an all elven group did I? Well that probably won't stand out too badly... anyhow, if there are no questions for then get your tookuses on the damned boat so you can make your rendezvous
Thracius |
The silver haired elf's ears burn as the Venture captain speaks and he realises his rudeness at such an esteemed figure. He quickly stammers an apology to Valsin
"Ap-pologies honoured Venture Captain, no disrespect is meant. I merely wonder if you have any more information on this Delroya? Her looks or mannerisms?"
GM Eddv |
The venture captain gestures to the note You can take a look when you leave as Slade ambles up.
He continues with thracius We haven't actually seen her, though judging by the name I would say she is at least half Mwangi. Also it is important to note before you leave that we are being subtle here. The reason we have sent such fresh-faced recruits is that we can't risk sending someone the snakes might recognize. So be careful
GM Eddv |
The boat takes off and land on the other side of Kortos in the city of Diobel - the shadow of Absalom. The general feel here is considerably seedier than the cosmopolitan home of the Pathfinder Society.
You have three tasks ahead of you, which you have been asked to complete two of. What would you like to do?
Selkin Rayne |
I think its important that we find the evidence of the drug. We must do what we can to stop production of such a terrible thing!
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
"I defer to the decision of the group but I am not enamored of going into the sewers with the chance to come out with some sort of malady. If that is the decision of the group then we are off to Rat Street." Sythka says with a look of disgust on her elven face...
Thracius |
Thracius nods his head at Sythka's assessment of the situation and speaks up quietly in support of his Elven companion.
"I do agree, I would prefer not to go the sewer when we could achieve less violent tasks above surface."
Thracius will concede if a majority decision takes them to the sewers but before they set off he takes a slender wand out from his robe and mutters an arcane phrasing as he taps himself with it, causing a shimmering field to engulf his body. He will offer a charge for Sythka as well. Wand of Mage Armour
GM Eddv |
Well now we have two for an two against so...I guess I will wait for others to weigh in
Selkin Rayne |
Then where would you prefer we go? To the ship and get the documents? I suppose that is important as well. We can do that first!
Lets not hold this up over where to go. :)
Thracius |
Thracius muses over the tasks and gives an elegant shrug of his shoulders.
"The Ship seems fine to me, now how to get aboard?"
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
Sythka accepts the offer of Mage Armor from Thracius and says "Let us go to the ship then. There cant be too many diseases from a ship."
Puk Laughington |
Post got eaten...
"Ship it is. Whats the plan? Sneak aboard? Light it on fire? Pretend to be the port authority inspection team?" Puk asks with enthusiasm.
Puk Laughington |
"Well I can lie very well so that might do. But someone would need to sneak off to steal the papers. Should we get some invisibility potions?" He asks.
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
"Hmmm an inspection team would require uniforms and badges and paperwork. Lot of materials for a ruse. Why not play the part of a merchant seeking to hire the ship and checking if it is seaworthy for your goods?"
GM Eddv |
Any materials you want to gather are of course available - Diobel is only slightly smaller than Absalom
A maze of broken ships forms an artificial reef blocking Diobel’s harbor. This treacherous and erratic terrain teems with laborers, barge masters, pilots, and port inspectors, who busily conduct their business ferrying goods to and from the Bristles. Beyond the Trawl, seagoing ships wait their turn to offload cargo or pick up new goods. One ship stands out among the others—the freshly touched-up paint on its hull, blue with streaks of white lightning along the hull, marks it as the Blue Dragon’s Bite.
It sits moored to a dock jutting from the Trawl, with several crates already offloaded nearby, and many more waiting piled on its deck.
There is a gangplank set up allowing people to unload more but no one seems to be working at the moment, at least not from afar.
Thracius |
Thracius follows his companions to the docks meekly, staying by his witch friend as he observes those bustling around the port.
"Well, that is our target, if you wish to try a diversionary ruse whilst one of sneaks aboard that would be do-able it seems. Who here is most adept at the art if subterfuge?"
+4 stealth from Dex
Sythka'landrianna Seiðkonur |
"I have no talents in the shadow arts. I will do what I can with my arcane abilities, but I am not a trickster. I shall stand behind Slade if things go as he says...'sideways'..."
GM Eddv |
Ok so my understanding of the plan is that Thracius is going to approach as a sort of distraction and Puk is going to quaff an invisibility potion and try to find it in the meantime? Or are both sneaking aboard with no diversion?
Thracius |
I think Thracius and Puk are going to sneak aboard, i will also get two potions of invisibility
GM Eddv |
Ok as Sythka, Slade and Selkin approach in an obvious way they catch two men just on board the ship having some kind of argument.
One of them is wearing a typical sailor's outfit of casual cloth while the other is wearing a more official looking black leathers
These fees are too high, you are miscategorizing my cargo, I am telling you. Last time I paid a good 50 gold less in fees and that's what I am willing to pay this time The Captain says while the man in leathers shakes his head and gets ready to disagree when both see your party. What business do the three of you have with this rascal? the man will ask.
Meanwhile Puk and Thracius tiptoe invisibly past, taking advantage of your approach to disguise their footfalls. They quickly search the ship, finding a locked cabin on the fourth deck.
Selkin Rayne |
That depends I suppose. We were thinking of hiring this boat for some business we may have coming our way, however its sounds like you have some sort of issue with fees? Have the fees changed recently? Selkin is hoping that the official might go into a long, drawn out explanation, thereby giving our friends more time to investigate.