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Having rummaged through the notes and chests in the theater, you discovered that this Shadow Pathfinder Lodge has reached far indeed. You find two lists, one some sort of encoded massage with names and dates, and the other has marked various cities across the Inner Sea; Absalom, Sothis, Kaer Maga, Oppara, Whitethrone, and Almas, with an indication that they have been completed.
Intending to relay these back to the Grand Lodge, you step outside the theater only to find that things are far too silent. The streets are empty. Save for a single carriage that is all to familiar. As you step outside the door, the door to the carriage opens, and out come six burly men carrying cudgels and a seventh man, skinny and bedecked in robes and jewels, his right hand in a pouch on his belt. All of the men stare intently at you, forming a loose semicircle around the party.
“Dakar says you owe him a favor,” says the skinny man in robes. “You’ll need to come with us”, motioning to one of the brutes to bring the manacles and enchanted sack cloths just like last time.
It's going to be one of those days. . .
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The aasimar with metallic-looking tattoos straightens her shoulders and eyes the bruisers with grim determination. Kryssa speaks, her words showing a definite Shoanti accent, "I will go, but no chains. I am a warrior, not a slave." She stands firm with her stance clearly ready to withstand an attack.
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Saddly, you missed the boat that brought the first team in, and where forced to make the trip on your own, and remained a step or two behind them at all times. You arrived, and when you tacked Mr. Collgardie down, you discovered he was dead, and very recently. There where other bodied within his house, and it appeared as though someone had been using the house as some sort of base of operations for a few days. Among the dead, you found a letter, calling some thugs to wait in the house and kill whoever had murdered Mr. Collgardie, signed by one Besel Ardoc, a scion of one of the most powerful families in the city. Tracking him down, you discovered you had just missed the other Pathfinder team, and that he had sent them in search of another power in the city, a "man" named Dakar.
It took you a few days to find Dakar, or rather, for Dakar to find you, and once more, it seems that you just missed the other team by mere hours. Dakar informs you from behind a screen that obfuscates his features, that he is willing to help, for a price. Once you agree to a future favor, he informs you that he is aware that the murders you seek are actually not Pathfinder at all, but rather another group attempting to reestablish the now defunct Shadow Lodge, with aims at destroying the Pathfinder Society both within and without. "He" tells you that he is aware of this, and that he has just sent the other Pathfinders, whom you seek, to the Naderia Theater, where they can meet one of these ShadowFinders. Just before he sends you on your way, (involving placing magical bags ver your ead that block all sound, and then sending you by carriage the long, long, long way home, he stops, and says, "The time to repay that favor has come, my little friends. Much sooner that I thought, but that just means I will not have to burden you with so many trips, yes." The vague shadow behind the screen seems to stoop over a bit as if reading something. "Yes. It seems that you will be meeting your allies, or I should say our allies, a bit sooner that I had expected. They should be arriving soon."
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as before, you are taken into the carriage, and utterly disorientated as it drives you to meet with Dakar once more. It is the same as last time, though shorter. You are stopped and brought inside some sort of building, and after walking down at least two sets of stairs, the bags are removed, revealing a nice club or private residence with carpeted floors, potted plants, slaves waving fans, and a giant backlit screen along one wall. The first thing you hear is "Pathfinders. You owe me a favor. . ." coming from a silhouetted being behind a screen, "his" features utterly vague.
Before you also stands an unfamiliar man and woman, you suspect are likewise Pathfinders.
"Kaer Maga has decided to reign in the Shadow Lodge, and that seems like a perfect job for the local Pathfinder Society. Track them down, and remove them from the city, or if you can not handle it, or simply refuse, it has been decided that Kaer Maga recognizes no difference between the various Pathfinder Society sects, and that the Pathfinders and the Shadowfinders are actually one and the same, and will have them removed, . . . permanently."
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"Hmm, so we find and take care of the Shadowlodge, or you make sure that Kaer Maga gets rid of anyone with any ties to the Pathfinders as well as the Shadowlodge. How can we refuse?"
Umaro's tone is neutral as he looks around, taking in the surroundings.
"So Downmarket or Meatgate, sounds like wonderful places to start."
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Still hiding behind his screen, Dakar has his muscle escort you out the same way you arrived, sacks covering your faces and removing all sound while you are carried around randomly by carriage.
From there it does not take you long to reach the so-called "Meatgate". Located within the Warren District where you first entered the city, the Meatgate reminds you a bit of the Puddles District back in Absolam, where the poorer citizen congregate with nowhere else to go.
As always, the massive building and walls of the city leave you in a perpetual shade, as if at dawn, though it is midday. The only exception is near the northwester section of the outer wall, which has a massive hole in it. Entering the market itself, you see people and creatures of all variety. Many farmers and hunters come to the Meatgate to sell their wares quickly, and while you will not find any foodstuffs of great quality or rarity here, (it is basically a poor man's market), the prices are very fair. And food is not the only item for purchase. Nearly anything you might desire can be found here. As you walk though, you notice vendors offering cheaper gems and jewelry, religious icons, guidebooks to the city's Empyreal Lords and mysteries, various items of bad habits and odd tools to smoke them with, herbs for common ailments, and more. The streets and walkways are very crowded, and you instinctively take hold of your money pouches as you walk about.
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After the group is left by themselfs at Meatgate Sam looks around at the people coming and going. He has mixed feelings about the place but decides not to linger on them. After a while he speaks.
I am Sam, some people call me drakenfel also. I serve the great house Dralneen of Cheliax. We were send by Absalon as reinforcements. Have you people already learned anything about these so called Shadow Lodge?
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Kryssa spits on the ground as she passes a purveyor of purchasable passion and his enslaved 'wares' on display in their various outfits and mutters a prayer under her breath. "Arshea, free those bound by the chains of servitude. Arshea, free those bound by the chains of society. Arshea, free those bound by the chains they make themselves. May the Spirit of Abandon free us all."
After getting past the filth on the street, she looks at the religious icons and books on Empyreal Lords at one of the vendors. Her hand brushes the bangled bracelet hanging off of her belt. "I'm in the market for relics... and rumors."
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Umaro nods to Sam. "It's good to get reinforcements. Unfortunately all we've learned of the Shadow Lodge, is that they have tried to set themselves up here and in several other towns as a sort of Pathfinders Lodge. Though it does seem that their methods are bit different than ours."
Once they've reached the Meatgate, Umaro can't help but shake his head at the smells. Do they even realize what those herbs can do? And why would you burn them together?
Finally stopping at a shop selling herb, Umaro scans the wares taking in what is for sale.
"Pardon, but I was wondering if I might ask a few questions?"
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"I'm in the market for relics... and rumors."
After a bit of social cat and mouse, you begin to direct your questions towards the Pathfinder Society. Roold, a human female is short, muscular, and stout, with close-cut hair and polished leather armor. You gather that she is normally a guard for travelling merchants, but seems to have fallen on hard times and has hired herself out in the market as extra security. After she pieces your intent together, "I swear I saw some folks here just yesterday that said they where Pathfinders. They had some sort of argument with one of the local "Freemen".
"Pardon, but I was wondering if I might ask a few questions?"
"Well, stranger," the old woman says with a surprisingly loud voice, "I never heard of no Shadow Pathfinders, but ain't you the folks that was on the Halflight Path when the Gobs attacked? Yes, yes, I'm certain it was. I've heard rumors that there are some more gobs in town, handing around the Temple like they are guardin' somethin' for someone."
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As you are speaking to various merchants, an older half-elven woman interjects. "Pardon, outlanders, but did you say you where seeking the Shadow Lodge" in a whisper.
Maldoc and Umaro quickly realize that most of the crowd is suddenly stepping away from the area, and that there are three other individuals attempting to sneak up and attack you in the streets. It seems the Half-Elf was simply a distraction. Sifting through what's left of the crowd, you see a female Half-Orc warrior wielding a drawn Scimitar and Tower Shield. From another direction, closing in you see a male Gnome. He I attempting to hide, stay behind cover, and is drawing his bow to try to pick you off. From yet another direction, a robed male, reaching for spell components. The Half-Elf woman grabs her holy symbol and staff, chanting a quick battle prayer.
You can see immediately that these attackers have trained to work well as a group, and are communicating with the same secret gestures and codes that the Pathfinder Society uses. . .
->Surprise Round: Maldoc & Umaro (only)
Round 1:
Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard
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Sam
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The Cleric is able to dodge Maldoc's initial thrust, but is not so lucky with the magically enhanced follow up. She at first slows her chanting, then stops entirely, caught between fighting off the magic and her own body finally giving in, she drops to the dirty street, bleeding from a wound in her shoulder. Umaro alerts the other Pathfinders to the threat, then calls on aid.
Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard
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Sam
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Maldoc drops the Cleric surprisingly fast, and Kryssa charges after the Gnome Ranger, but luck is not with her. Likewise Umaro rushes at the Half-Orc warrioress, but his staff bounces harmlessly off her Tower Shield as she offers a taunt in return.
-->>Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard
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Sam
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After her friend and leader goes down, the Half-Orc taunts Umaro, "Gonna have to do better than that stick, boy.", before swinging back with her scimitar.
The Gnomish archer falls back just outside of Kryssa's reach and lets an arrow go, aiming for her heart.
The human mage looks at the fallen, (but not dead), priestess and turns towards Maldoc in sudden fury, calling upon arcane energies to slam into his chest. "Get away from her, you amateur".
Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard
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-->>Sam
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The gnome slides aside just in time to avoid being decimated by the flail, smugly commenting "Nice tattoos lady, but you shoulda spent your coin on better trainin'." Shouting to his companions, "I got this one.", leaving unsure if he is just cocky or if this is some sort of set up . . .
Sam, Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard (-6)
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In unison, the two remaining combatants shout NOOOO!!!!, seeing their mage fall dead, then turning to the party in anger, continue the assault, no longer considering mercy as an option.
The warrior swings again with her scimitar.
As he falls bleeding, (I think), she steps over his body and makes her way towards the others, bloodlust in her orcish eyes.
While the Gnome against 5ft steps back and fires an arrow at Kryssa.
-->>Sam, Krysa, Maldoc, Umaro
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Cleric, Fighter, & Ranger