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Your mission orders today bring you to the exotic jewel of the east- the Satrapy of Qadira in the Katapeshi Empire. You are guided into Farseer Tower, where the Venture Captain the tall and stately dark haired Wulessa Yuule blows right past the pleasantries and begins to brief you all the moment you pop through the door.
Ah there you are. You're late! This whole debacle threatens to be a major debacle already and you being late is not helping matters!
It wasn't your fault you were late - these things happpen. Rough seas can delay a transport ship like the one you were on - it usually isn't this big of a deal.
I am sorry it is not your fault - the Grand Lodge under that mutton-chopped buffoon Valsin sent a convoy to the mansion of Temmel Passad - he's a Kalistocrat from Druma. Wildly wealthy even by Qadira's lofty standars
Her hair falls into her face and she roughly brushes it past her face We had been attempting to acquire a copy - or at least NOTES FROM - the only known copy of the Mutani Manual of Martial Mastery known to have survived to the modern day. Needless to say -- the Society wants the knowledge held within, especially with the Ruby Phoenix Tournament on the Horizon. Normally this is well within the normal operations of the Grand Lodge but... well let us just say that Passad is a difficult man and Valsin's previous team made a HUGE mess of things and have jeopardized our odds of ever seeing that book.
She sits down roughly and offers you seats, the way a Venture-Captain might ordinarily do at the START of a briefing.
The last team insulted the merchant and got tossed from the premises. Well - all but one, the Tian expert we sent. They have been detained as a resource on the finer points of Tian politics, which is apparently completely legal to do under Druman law. Now Passad says if the Society wants access to the book you will have to EARN it jumping through whatever hoops the rich old fool wants you to jump through. Normally we would cut our losses but....we REALLY want that book. The man owns a dozen manors across the globe but one nearby is the one we suspect the book is held in -- Ghennet Manor.
Hopefully our missing pathfinder is also among the collection. Do as little damage to the property as possible—we’re not vandals, after all. Also, take nothing else of worth from the place. We’re not common thieves. I cannot stress this strongly enough. Given our already ample embarrassment with Passad, please don’t add to that dishonor by making off with the man’s silverware or his grandmother’s brooch, for Abadar’s bloody sake. No doubt the villa is a sumptuous and tempting target, but you must keep this in the forefront of your minds: The tome and the scholar are all that matter. Everything else is a distraction. The Decemvirate will take a special interest in your conduct on this assignment.
Lastly, we have reason to believe that others are in pursuit of the Mutani Manual, including agents of the Aspis Consortium. Be wary! Under no circumstances can the book fall into the hands of a rival organization. Now, do you have any questions?”
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Irizati is a homely fellow wearing full plate armor made of organic black plates. Outside you saw a large tiger wearing studded leather barding.
"So go to manner. Take book. Take expert if we find her. Take nothing else. Avoid collateral damage. All while guy who owns manor tries to make us dead. Yes?"
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Evarice plays her piccolo on the way to the meeting room.
Still needs work.
As the Venture Captain ushers her in and begins the briefing, Evrice shrugs. "So, we have a long ways ahead of us. Find a manor, see if we can find a detained Pathfider, and gain access to a rare tome. Hopefully we can smooth things over with the owner, theft is... not my style."
She removes her ostentatious ostritch hat and sits down. "Do you know about the organization there? Besides Passad, how is his organization?"
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She chuckles when the question about the organization and manor itself Well...its a massive estate but by Druman standards its actually pretty modest.
Its probably only one or two stories, built around a central atrium, the manor is also walled off. Other than that....we don't know anything about its layout or its security features. That's why we called you -- ordinarily I know venture captains provide you with a lot more than this but its a very fluid situation and you're the team we have. Other than trying to keep collateral damage to a minimum you are free to approach this in any way you see fit.
She gives a sour look at the comment by Blend. If you also fail...we will likely send a second extraction team after you at quite a hit to your prestige in my book. As I said....caution is of the essence but you are a highly capable team or so I have been told.
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The dour-looking dwarf known as Doubtful, scowls at the news of their assigned task.
"Great." He mutters, the single word dripping with sarcasm. "Probably using this Tian git as bait to sucker more of us in."
Those of you who do not know him, will find that Doubtful takes pessimism (though he'd call it fatalism) to an extreme level... sure that something horrible is about to happen, pretty much always, and that everyone has ulterior, nefarious, motives.
Those that do know him , come to the same conclusions.
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A rake-thin, weathered half-elf, leaning on a darkwood staff, one end of which is enveloped with a flame that caresses the wood, but does not burn it, chews his lip thoughtfully.
"So stealth and guile would be preferred, if at all possible? I can help with the latter, as well as bring explosive magic if things go sideways..."
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It does not take long before you are able to find information about the location of a manor owned by a wealthy Druman Aristocrat in the environs around katapesh and whats more you are able to easily find a barge going up that way - though the trip will take 12 hours.
Do you have any other preparations you want to make before embarking?
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So a Kalistocrat is the follower of the prophecies of Kalistrade, a strict philosophy where the accumulation of wealth is seen as the only real point of life. Despite this, they live by a very strict dietary code and privately lead very simple lives behind these covers of massive of wealth. They eat a modest bland diet of food and have strict prohibitions against unnecessary sexual contact as well.
Passad himself is known as a particularly irascible Kalistocrat, with a supposedly rather over the top sense of humor, known for staging elaborate jokes and pranks. Considering that he has framed this situation as a "challenge" you suspect you find yourself trapped by this particular eccentricity.
As for the layout of the manor itself and the land surrounding, it is situated in a wooded copse outside of the town proper and is said to be quite secluded.
Beyond that, you are unable to gather much more.
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You take off on the barge leaving the bustling metroplis up the river into the secluded forested area. The barge takes you up the river. Its an idyllic lazy trip - the barge you are on is a commercial vessel that seems to be in no particular hurry and the captain seems to be a mute.
Once you are near Ghennett Manor he slows the barge just enough for you to get off, gives a polite nod and shoves you on your way. By this time it is evening, twilight giving way to actual darkness.
The manor is at the top of a flat hill and the white sandstone walls can be seen poking out from behind the wooded copse that surrounds the opulent manor.
The Challenge has begun.
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Simon dusts off his clothes as he gets off the barge, making sure he is presentable at least.
He takes out of a Wand of Mage Armor and uses it. He puts it away, expecting someone else to call out that they want a charge.
"Well, let's wait for Blend to get back with intel then head up. Is everyone ready?"
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Evarice plays her piccolo on the way up.
She plays an adventurous, uplifting tune on the way up, tapping her feet to the beat. It may be the best performance she's ever given.
"Good luck Blend!" She waves him off. "You're right, Simon. Let's wait until her gets back." She switches to her tricone hat.
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From here - it is difficult for anyone without a light source to see too much further than the 60 feet in front himself that doubtful can - from there he see the gates - not exactly locked looking hanging in front of you and the massive extant of white stone walls extending in what is presumably a wide perimeter of the building.
Blend is able to do a full perimeter of the building without anything obviously going too wrong the stone wall completely surround the compound save for the front gate.
Any further scouting is going to entail either climbing the wall or finding some of other way to navigate it.
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When Blend returns Irizati makes preparations.
On himself
Longstrider, Greater Magic Fang, Barkskin extended using a lesser rod.
On Baloo
Greater Magic Fang, Barkskin, Extended Reduce Animal using a lesser rod
On Doubtful
Greater Magic Fang
On Evarice Bue
Barkskin
Irizati will then remove his backpack, put some wands and scrolls into it mentioning any activation words, and sets it down.
"Doubtful, You will probably need to carry the bulk of these but you are all free to use what you need. There is one charge left in the extend rod."
He then transforms into a Leopard.
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Blend hops across to the manor grounds and does a quick survey. He is able to see across the way a big pond, and the general large garden space surrounding the manor.
As he begins to move to spy what might be on the opposite side of the house - perhaps a back door or first story window - he spots a pair of dark insidious looking hounds patroling the grounds - a deep black only the half orcs keen eyes and dark vision allow him to avoid getting beset upon immediately.
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Blend heads back to the group to report. Looks like there is a back door we can use to get in but there are a pair of large dogs patrolling the grounds. I could possily sneak past them, but they probably have keen noses so might smell me despite my magic and I doubt the rest of you are all that sneaky.. Anyone got a way to quietly dispose of a pair of guard dogs?
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You find the front gate is actually open and the dogs....they do not seem to pursue you as you just walk up to the front door.
Doubtful opens the door slowly and finds himself staring at an opulaent entry hall, complete with a massive mural of a marketplace, depicting it being ruled over by men in women wearing white robes, white elbow length gloves, and eating modest meals of bread while surrounding by unfathomable riches.
There are signs of violence marring the room: four of the benches are overturned and one to the southwest is charred, a statue has been reduced to rubble, and both rugs are torn and ragged as if hacked at with knives.
There are double doors leading further in, where the sounds of servants cleaning can be heard.