I am looking for a GM to take over an on-going Season 0 Run that is currently underway. Due to circumstances preventing me from running as a GM, I am unable to continue assisting the group in finishing their run of the scenarios. The group would be currently half-way through #0-27 Our Lady of Silver (Tier 8-9), and would need the GM to run #0-26 Lost At Bitter End and #0-28 Lyrics of Extinction to finish out the Run afterwards. If interested, please reach out to me and we can discuss details further.
Hello all! I am unfortunately going to have to give my notice on this campaign. I am unable to meet the necessary cadence of posting to keep this game moving forward, which is unfair to the players at the table. I am happy to keep up my approximately 1/week updates in the interim, but in the interest of keeping this moving forward I am going to start advertising an opening for a GM in forums starting this evening. If anyone has a preferred GM in mind, feel free to have them message me and I would be happy to discuss the situation with them as well. Let me know if anyone has any questions or concerns that I can address.
I do think that Spackle has the right idea here though - we were remiss in not getting a list of items that were taken. We should do that now.
The return to the wedding venue is uneventful, the group finding the reception area being slowly cleaned up by several servants now wandering about the space. Bashir is standing nearby the bride and groom in discussion, all three looking up as the group approaches.
Lujine's father is happy to give the group an inventory of his intended gifts, giving the Pathfinders a piece of paper with them written on it.
List of Gifts:
Bashir al-Mudaris’ Gifts to the Pathfinder Society
The Bylaws of the Zhonari Order: A set of 17 papyrus sheets purportedly from the fallen city of Shadun, these crumbling manuscripts rest in a case of lacquered cedar. (Weight: 8 lbs.)
Portrait of Prince Khasine: Approximately 900 years old, this funerary portrait depicts the Qadiran Prince Khasine who fell in battle during his nation’s invasion of Taldor. (Weight: 3 lbs.)
The Locasi Carpet: In ancient times, wandering kelishite priests of Sarenrae carried colorful mats depicting scenes from their scriptures. Their followers knelt around the mats, absorbing the colorful messages during the priests’ sermons. This time-faded carpet was supposedly woven by the revered High Priest Ubaidah Abd-Hikmah. (Weight: 21 lbs.)
Font of Irori: Over 400 years ago, the warlike Pasha Muan produced this vessel, supposedly a gift from Irori himself. The font appears as a smooth, perfectly even silver bowl, but in rare instances viewers claim to see complex, ever-shifting patterns within the metal. (Weight: 2 lbs.)
The Jewels of Xalmer: A collection of cloisonne clasps and buckles, these gleaming trinkets once belonged to the infamous blood-sorcerer Xalmer. Legend claims that the thirst-spirit Ragathiel reduced Xalmer to dust in their final battle, leaving behind only these bejeweled ornaments. (Weight: .5 lbs.)
The Lamp of Machila: Once an heirloom of the House of Machila, this hanging lamp looks uneven and pitted. Lit in a large chamber, the lamp’s light projects a wondrous image: the magnificent throne room of an ancient emperor. Even more amazing, it generates this projection without detectable magic. (Weight: 5 lbs.)
Should the contents of the letter found at the hideout be brought up, Bashir will remark that the individual mentioned there did use to be one of his acquaintances, and that he even recalled that the person was at one point one of the suitors pursuing his daughter. After discovering his penchant for avarice and cruelty, however, Bashir quickly distanced himself and his daughter from the man soon after. Bashir is able to provide the location of the man's villa on the Avenue of the Phoenix in the city, should the group wish to investigate.
Avenue of the Phoenix:
Small villas line the Avenue of the Phoenix, the local residences of traveling merchants and officials. Intricate designs cover the homes’ finely carved doors, subtle reminders of their residents’ wealth and taste. Midway down the street, the gaudily painted walls of one home contrast sharply with the burnt-out remains of an unfortunate neighbor: this must be Raamiz Ibn-Chadli’s villa.
Dearest Brother,
Although Raamiz Ibn-Chadli has paid us well, I fear that his gold may cost us in the end. Those Chelish slavers he deals with are little better than pirates. Rather than load the Incubus in the harbor, as any legitimate vessel would, he had us bring the slaves to an isolated stretch of coastline miles from town. I’m not a fearful man, but the Incubus is bound to be caught eventually—you can be sure they’ll turn on us when the Satrap’s questioners talk to them. Worse yet, Ibn-Chadli’s vizier is not what he appears. He’s forced us to build a monstrous shrine in our hall, making each of us participate in his rituals. I was forced to swear I wouldn’t reveal what he is, but that unholy thing is binding us all into some sor…
This room appears to contain a slave pen, with several sets of bloodied manacles anchored to the walls of the pen. There is nothing else noteworthy in this room.
Southeastern Room, 1st Level:
This room appears to be an office, containing a desk and two chairs. A pile of letters and correspondences lie on top of the desk to one side. While many of the letters are redacted or unreadable, one of them stands out as recent and of importance:
A bloodstained box lies in the corner of the office room, the inside of which contains an elegant portrait of a refined figure in princely attire. Fine Kelish script indicates the title of the portrait in the corner of the painting. The box also contains a large bag that holds gold pieces bearing marks indicating them of Chelish origin, about 6,300 gold pieces worth.
[ooc]A DC 20 Perception Check will reveal the contents of Secret Spoiler A
Secret Spoiler A:
After looking a the portrait in the bloodstained box you remember spotting the portrait amidst the pile of gifts that Lujine's father, Master Bashir al-Mudaris, had set aside for the dowry. You abruptly realize that you don't know what gifts were taken, and that asking Bashir for a list of the gifts may assist with locating the rest of them.
The following x 7: potion of cure light wounds, masterwork
scale mail, scimitar, punching dagger, 3 javelins, tindertwig, 15 gp
Knowledge Religion (DC 20), 2nd Level:
The statue on the second story of the building is a guise of the arch-devil Moloch.
Perception (DC 20), 2nd Level:
In the brazier in front of the statue, you find fragments of burnt human bones and broken jewelry; including an iron holy symbol of Iomedae with the initials "C.P" engraved on the back.
Hi boys, I understand someone here ordered some dancers?
As Tereze strikes her saucy pose, the two magical spells shoot over her shoulders in both directions simultaneously in an almost choreographed way; lighting up the room in flame and electricity! The lightning bolt on the right fries the two closest men to a charred crisp, while the man in the back backflips over the bolt to avoid the effect. Ironically, this leaves him and the other four left in the main chamber off balance to be fried in turn completely by the accompanying blast from the fireball afterwards! The fire from the explosion causes the red barrels around the room to explode, raining fiery oil down upon the ground all around the center area of the room.
The remaining man who was "lucky" enough to be in the far chamber is left alive after the surprise assault. He looks briefly at the charred remains of the other six individuals, and then immediately dives out of the side window directly next to him with a loud sound of breaking glass! The sounds of running steps can be heard as he runs away for his life!
Unless desired, the group is out of initiative. The red square on the map is on fire for the next minute or so.
As the group advances towards the stairs, one of the men near the stairs perks up as he notices the abrupt cessation of sound in his vicinity! He attempts to speak, then starts wildly waving his hands soundlessly as he begins to move towards another one of his companions in the room.
The group shuffles through the door invisibly, briefly taking a moment of awkward movements to ensure remaining within the radius of the invisibility sphere and still make it through the doorway.
7d20 ⇒ (14, 12, 1, 5, 19, 8, 12) = 71
Quickly surveying the main room, the group notes the presence of the men idling about the room as described by Meade earlier. The combination of the invisibility spell and the silence spell ensures the group's entrance was unnoticed, but further movement into the room could possibly alert some of the men closer to the entrance by the abrupt cessation of sound in their area from the silence.
Many of the group notices from the their scan of the room that while the men mill about, none of them appear to be entering the chambers that open off the small hallway to the east under the stairs. While the other chambers appear to have debris and other detritus, this wing of the building seems to oddly be kept semi-tidy and clean.
Locke briefly sniffs the air and quickly identifies that the red-painted barrels about the main chamber seem to contain a large quantity of highly flammable oils. These could easily be knocked over for a oil slick, or ignited for a more explosive result.
Nothing in the immediate line of sign seems to indicate presence of anything stolen from the wedding venue from earlier, or at least with the group's current cursory glance.
Is there a fire place or chimney Mead could fly down. More to recon than anything else.
The men in the building appear to have not set a watch of any kind, so moving around the outside of the structure to observe or search doesn't require any particular stealth unless exceptionally loud noises are made.
As Meade soars around the building, the creature notes several possible points of entry. There is a smashed skylight that the pseudodragon can peer into from the second story, which opens into a chamber that appears to serve as a balcony that looks out over the larger main room on the first floor. A large stone statue of some kind of demon or devil at the back of the balcony scowls menacingly over a lit brazier before it.
Seeing no-one on the balcony level, the pseudodragon slinks in through the skylight to get a better view of the interior. Mead is able to once again see the rooms below, confirming the eight men still lounging about in the first floor area. They appear clad in scale mail with a red and orange surcoat, all of them either wielding (while practicing on the dummies around the room) or carrying scimitars. The pseudodragon notes the large number of barrels situated around the room, all of them oddly painted red for some reason.
Spackle's familiar returns when it appears safe to report its findings to the group.
Points of access would be front doors (closed, but not barred or locked), ground floor windows on western first floor, or climbing up to the second story (DC 15 climb) to access skylight (DC 10 acrobatics to drop down to balcony from there).
Meade can lead the party to the building on the outskirts without event. Being in the vicinity of the building itself doesn't trigger combat per se. What approach does the group want? Breach and Clear? Stealth? Deception?
Mead tracks the man to a run-down building on the outskirts of the city. A weather-beaten, now-illegible sign hangs above the rusted iron-shod double door to the structure. Slinking around the outside and peering through windows, the familiar is able to see eight human individuals lurking about a large main room inside. The room itself is dimly illuminated by wan light filtering through the dirty windows, highlighting large amounts of strewn trash amongst barrels organized around the room and training dummies situated periodically around as well. A pair of stone stairwells appear to lead up to a balcony on a second level, the inside of which is not visible due to excessive dirt accumulated on the insides of the windows on the second story. Based on the action of the individuals inside the building, Mead believes that the man it was tracking thinks that he lost the creature in the crowds, as the people inside do not appear to be on high alert.
Tracking the man and then returning back to the feasting hall would take about an hour, then another half-hour for the group to travel to the building if that is desired. The map is updated with the building layout.
Farendir and his bride approach the group as the immediate danger seems to be in hand. "Is everyone all right? Anyone hurt?" he asks urgently while Lujine clings to his arm as if to make sure the groom won't leave her. A servant hurries up to the Pathfinder, whispering something in his ear that causes the man to grow ashen. "They're gone? You are sure?" Farendir asks, but his fears are confirmed by a silent nod from the servant who scurries off afterwards.
"You must help us!" Farendir pleads desperately as he runs his hands through his hair with panic. "During the commotion, someone made off with the relics that were intended to be donated to the Society by my father-in-law! They were part of her dowry...which means if they are gone..." the man trails off with worry.
"My father could possibly assert that our marriage contract is no longer valid," Lujine replies firmly but with an undertone of similar worry as her husband. "Reputation is very important to him. The relics were meant to bolster both your standing as well as his with your Society. He may well call everything off to cut his losses..."
"Please, help us. We will be forever in your debt if you could recover the stolen relics. If there is anything we can do to assist you, just ask." Farendir pleads once again, hope in his eyes.
Spackle:
Mead continues to dart after the man threading his way through the crowds trying to lose the pursuing familiar. The pseudodragon's superior air speed and maneuverability make it easy for it to keep up with the individual, who appears to be generally making his way towards the outskirts of Katheer.
Is there any particular actions Mead would take, or would it generally just follow as far as it could? How far would Mead go before returning back to the feasting grounds?
Drusilla attaks the closest Purple lion, even if it's blinded for a few more seconds
The purple lion is outside of the feasting grounds at the moment, out of your melee reach. My assumption is you would double move to follow it out of the grounds.
Locke wrote:
Locke shoots three arrows at the purple lion.
Only the first arrow manages to barely strike the lion, the creature having a large amount of cover from being outside of the feasting grounds and the hoard of street goers fleeing in all directions around the lion!
Melisande wrote:
Melisande spreads her fingers into a fan and 5 glowing motes emerge and shoot unerringly toward the purple lion.
I had to move you a bit to stage left to get line of sight, but otherwise it should be good.
The bolts of magical energy strike the lion at a distance, the spell expertly dodging around the collateral of the people in the street with ease!
Spackle adjusts over a bit to the left and lets loose an arrow from his bow, the precise shot piercing the lion in the street through its skull; causing it to collapse to the ground!
Making assumption that the lantern archons being summoned pot shot the lions in the pit into unconsciousness before pit duration ends.
Guys, I unfortunately have to cut down some gaming until next week Thursday as the workload in my job has expanded tremendously currently.
Same here. Its peak flu season here in northern Indiana, the massive uptick of flu shots at my pharmacy is making it hard for me to even post once a week. Add in that new omicron COVID boost for a fun time!
With the mental image of the saboteur etched in his mind's eye, the tiny dragon flies over the crowd in pursuit.
The man slips into the bustling crowd moving about the streets outside of the feasting hall. As he moves what the man thinks to be a safe distance away from the fleeing guests following, he quickly glances in all directions furtively. The man spots the pseudodragon hurtling through the air at top speed behind him, causing the man to sprint off into the crowds in an attempt to shake the familiar off the pursuit.
Mead and target move off the map, engaging in a cinematic chase scene outside of the combat area.
Locke wrote:
She takes aim at purple, and lets the arrow fly.
The arrow ricochets off the edge of the pit, burying itself in the side of the cart that previously held the now-escaped lions. The lion on the far side of the pit seems to not be able to clear the blinding dust in its eyes, roaring in frustration and then blindly charging out into the street outside of the feasting hall! The sounds of screams from the passing crowd outside in the street can be heard echoing off the stone walls of the hallway leading outside of the feasting grounds.
It's supposed to be a party, right? No party is complete without Glitter!
Two of the lions become blinded by the blast of glittering dust that erupts in their faces, while the other lion just happened to be facing in another direction and is simply coated in glitter instead.
Kioshi wrote:
Kioshi moves forward to see exactly what going on behind the wagon ... and he is clearly focused on the lions and immediately casts a spell to get rid of them!
One of the blinded lions and the other with clear sight sidle out of the way as the pit magically appears beneath them. The other blinded lion is not quite so lucky, the loud thud echoing from within the aperture disproving the myth of cats always landing on their feet.
Spackle wrote:
"How 'bout ya be good kitties 'n STAY right there?" The bard laces one of the words with a spell in the hopes of stunning the lions.
Spackle's booming command blasts out loudly in the air now above the pit in the ground, the intense sound causing nearby fleeing guests to cover their ears with a wince! The two lions in the vicinity get caught in the damaging radius of the effect, fortunately stunning the lion that had dodged closer to Spackle during the manifestation of the pit!
Seeing the lion situation relatively in hand, Locke advances up to the fountain in the middle of the square; pulling out their longbow and firing a shot at the stunned lion for a bit of damage!
Spackle wrote:
Is it possible to keep track of the man in the turban?
Spackle:
You see that the man appears to be exiting the feasting grounds amidst the fleeing crowd that was fleeing out the exit to the direct south of the lions. Following the "Entranced Guard" initiative count, the man will have moved enough to be out of visual line of sight.
Tereze wrote:
Before I go does that perception identify the person in the turbin that Spackle is talking about?
Unfortunately, it does not beat that individual's stealth roll. Would you like an alternative action?
The man who was previously entranced by Spackle's performance abruptly finds himself at the sloped edge of Kioshi's pit! His feet slip out from under him as he tumbles right into the pit, down to the waiting jaws of an irritated glittery lion! The man lands at the bottom with a cry of pain, and the sounds of him attempting to dodge the claws and jaws of the animal can be heard from within.
The blinded lion on the far side of the pit moves away from the sloped edges it feels beneath its claws, pawing at its eyes with a frustrated roar. The other lion closer to Spackle sways unsteadily on its paws, still coming to its senses from the blast of sound that assailed its ears. This, unfortunately, leads to it slipping down the sloped edge of the nearby pit; the heavy mass of the animal crushing the poor guard at the bottom as two angry felines now snarl at each other in the cramped confines of the pit!
@GM Irish, how fast can Spackle get to the guard (or within 90 feet)? I would like to get close enough to use Facinate on him.
Spackle expertly navigates through the crowd, subtly using his bardic wiles to entrance the guard next to the lion cart. As he sways slightly on his feet while his eyes begin rapidly dilating, the man seems unable to shift his focus from Spackle!
As the bard relaxes slightly with a seeming danger averted, the audible sound of a metallic 'clank' can be heard nearby. With a slight glance that doesn't distract from his performance, Spackle notices that a pin holding one of the lion cage doors closed seems to have fallen to the ground...causing that door to swing open effortlessly by the prowling lions inside!
The freed felines let forth a deafening roar that echoes loudly across the feast. Cries of distress and alarm arise from every corner of the wedding venue as terrified guests begin fleeing in all directions before the onslaught of the lions!
Perception DC 25:
You notice that while Spackle has the sweating guard distracted, one of the guests dressed in artfully concealing robes and a turban strolling by the cage sneakily nudges the pin to the cage loose; not breaking stride as the figure smoothly slips back into the crowd of guests after.
Battle Map updated. Token locations for group are approximate based on general RP; only certain placement is Spackle next to the carts where the lions are, and that Melisande & Dru are generally close to the coal pits where the mock battles where happening (hot coals marked with red squares). Passing through the coals requires a DC 12 Fort save to avoid being sickened from heat (Fire Resist of any kind negates the need for a save). While guests are running in all directions, they don't directly impede movement at the moment.
Sorry for delay, just came back from vacation in Kentucky.
Meadalanthus wrote:
Curious, Mead hops off the bard's shoulders. Hiding in the shadows, table cloths and the occasional long skirt, the dragon makes his way toward the far side of the ballroom to inspect the carts.
SM Mead:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Mead spots a pair of white elephants from distant Vudra, several impressive lions, two dozen silken-haired dromedaries, robes of precious silk, and other treasures appear in the carts, each more exotic than the last. Cloth draped wagons promise additional wonders as well. Several guards stand around the carts, escorting the gifts into the feast grounds as the battle on the coals begins to wind down.
Mead:
You notice that the guard escorting the cart with the lions seems to be sweating profusely, much more so than would normally be expected with the current climate in the feasting grounds. His gaze seems to dart nervously across the area, seeming more on edge compared to the other guards escorting the other carts.
Didn't have proper opportunity for checks, so here goes..
Those checks should be good to look at the Perception and Arcana spoilers.
Locke wrote:
she browses stalls with delicacies and curisities, such as foreign reagents and odd trinkets.
Locke would find that there are many tables and stalls on the feasting grounds that are home to many cooks whipping up dishes for the guests to taste. Due to the feast just beginning, most of the dishes available at the moment are more along the lines of first course and appetizers; aloo tikka, dahi balla, and litti chokha are just some of the local cuisine that Locke sees from their initial glances.
Kioshi wrote:
Kioshi tries to take everything and eventually decides that wants to talk to the priest of Sarenrae. "Ehh ... I .. I hope that I am not disturbing you? Really nice ceremony ... you know my step-mother as well as step-brother and step-sister are all Sarenites. So ... ehh ... what are you doing now?" he asks openly.
"No, you are no bother to me at all my friend!" Halman replies to Kioshi loudly to be heard over the din of music and conversation. He dabs his mouth and hands with a napkin to clean away some of the mess from the food he was eating. "It is always good to see Sarenrae's faithful out in this wonderful world! I was just finishing up my snack here before leaving, actually. I am getting on in age and can't quite keep up with these youngsters and their festivities it seems. I hope you are enjoying yourself so far?"
Dru wrote:
A most joyous event if I ever seen one! I can't refuse a drink, !it would be against my religion. Are you from the bride or the groom's family? Anyway, I'll toast to your health, sir, and if you don't mind, to the health and prosperity of the newlyweds.
"The bride's!" the man replies with a hearty toast of his drink, which is mirrored by several other men around him who reply similarly. "Half of us here tried to woo for her hand in marriage, but her father wouldn't have any of it!" This comment resulted in a wave of laughter from the crowd of failed suitors around him. "It's a shame, but the food and drink here is making up for the loss, for sure!"
Dru wrote:
Can anyone explain to me the rules of the fight, and why they seem to be ready to dance on embers?
"The coal-fighting? Rather straightforward, if you want to participate! You strip down to..." the man pauses as he looks at Dru and then at the almost naked men in loin cloths. "...Errr...just simple clothing. Then grab a club and join in! You're trying to land a hit on someone while avoiding being hit yourself. You get hit, then you're out! Last one standing with their feet not burnt off is the winner!"
You find the crowd to be very rowdy with the dancing and excitement. You also happen to single out guests of note in the crowd; including locating Farendir Faireven and Lujine (the bride and groom) sitting down at a table watching the combat on the coals, Bashir al-Mudaris (father of the groom) dancing gingerly as his age will allow in the crowd near Tereze, and Halman (the Priest of Sarenrae who performed the rites for the wedding) vigorously eating some meat under some shade from the patio above.
Perception Kioshi/Spackle/Mead:
You note that there appear to be a group of carts that are being prepared to be brought into the feasting grounds, most likely the beginning of the entourage of wedding gifts that will be presented to the bride and groom.
Arcana/Spellcraft/DM Kioshi:
The entire feast is filled with a melange of magical auras that make your head swim trying to focus on it. There do appear to me a multitude of magical items carried by individuals, as well as magical auras surrounding several guests. Most of them appear to be protective in nature, simple defensive charms and wards against poison; the typical fare for nobility to carry on themselves when out in public.
You believe that the warriors strutting about the coals are competing to become a champion that will fight the groom in one-on-one combat later on during the feast. It is a cut-throat fight to unconsciousness, with five fighters currently engaged in the competition.
Knowledge Local Dru/Kioshi:
You believe that the warriors on the coals are competing amongst each other for bragging rights and to put on a show for the wedding guests. The combat is open-invite, meaning anyone including wedding guests may participate. The aim is to remain on the coals the entire melee, and being hit in any way results in being disqualified from the competition. There appear to currently be five competitors actively participating at the moment.
Dru wrote:
Sorry, what's happening there?
"A wedding of course!" one of the guests replies to Dru with a laugh. They call over a serving girl to give Dru a drink. "Have more drink, my friend. Be merry for the bride and groom!"
Tereze wrote:
Tereze wanders over near the dancers looking to see who is watching the dances so she can talk to them to make some contacts and maybe find a dance partner who she can impress with her dance skills to raise the Pathfinder's status.
Tereze scans the crowd of dancers with a discerning eye to look for a good dancing partner, but it doesn't take long for her to see that a tall dark-skinned man dressed in merchant clothing is swiftly approaching her directly.
"My deepest apologies, would you perhaps be Tereze Amnell?" the man asks in a very heavily Kelish-accented Common as he slightly bows respectfully. "I am Al’Jahar abu-Targos. My uncle was Targos Min-Katheer, may he rest peacefully under Sarenrae's light. My family is forever in your debt for your efforts to return him to us!"
Hundreds of guests crowded the temple of Sarenrae in the morning while prosperous merchants and courtiers strutted in silken finery and scholars and clergy nodded gravely, clad in sober robes. Scores of servants and grooms waited outside as the High Priest of Sarenrae intoned the couple’s vows.
Afterward, the newlyweds led their guests to the splendidly decorated courtyard of Master Bashir’s estate for the wedding feast. Young men whirled through an ancient sword-dance to the frenzied pounding of doumbeks, their blades clashing louder as the song’s tempo increased. Servant girls brought forth a dazzling array of dishes and iced sekanjabin drinks, as daring snake charmers mesmerized a dozen lethal asps. Challenges ring forth across the courtyard as warriors swaggered forth, clad only in loincloths and swinging cudgels, to battle atop a bed of red-hot coals.
The group is free to wander about the wedding feast as desired. The battlemap has the map for the festivities currently up.
That would be fine! The scenario doesn't mention anything about a particular amount of jewelry for outfits, it certainly wouldn't hurt if you wanted to splurge a bit. If no-one has any particular things they wish to do or want hand-wave the shopping we can skip forward a bit to the ceremony.
"I assume I am already adequately dressed?" Melisande is wearing a Noble's outfit with a few thousand gold of jewelry between her necklace, earrings, bracelets and rings.
Osretia blinks a couple times, apparently in confusion and missing the gist of Melisande's question. "I guess, but wouldn't all the jewelry get caught on other peoples' sarees during the dancing?"
Tereze wrote:
Is zere anything we should know about the local fashion or wedding traditions at Qadira?
"Well, Katheer is pretty multicultural; I am sure the bride and groom would understand if you didn't know the nuances of Qadiran wedding ceremonies," the Venture-Captain replies. "I've only been to one or two myself. The actual wedding ceremony is your typical Sarenrite affair, the major difference is the parties before and afterwards. Qadirans are all about the feasts and dancing...I hope you know how to dance the Garba?" Osretia shuffles some scrolls on her desk. "Women typically wear lehengas or sarees; while the men traditionally wear a sherwani. You could find those easily near the Port or in the Great Market. Though if you have another outfit already, I'm sure that will do as well."
Tereze wrote:
I know in some places guests are expected to carry no weapons, dress in ceremonial armor or avoid a given colors...
"Men will traditionally wear ceremonial weapons to Qadiran weddings, you certainly will not be out of place if you bear them. I would recommend avoiding red or black; only the bride should be wearing red during the ceremony or festivities, while black is considered bad luck. Otherwise, bright colors are expected and encouraged!"
Spackle wrote:
He snaps up an invitation before spinning on his heel and stalks toward the door. "More limited my hiney! Pishaw! Like I be needin' some kind o' handout. Might be able ta use that stick up her bum fer a cane, but other than that?"
Osretia observes the bardic rant and subsequent exit, turning to the other Pathfinders still present afterwards. "I am sorry, but I didn't understand a single word he just said. Was that an accent?"
Kioshi wrote:
"... you know romance is quite hard to grasp after all!" he says and looks at his clothing.
"Quite so, indeed. If it wasn't, what else would bards sing about?" the Venture-Captain says sagely.
Kioshi wrote:
Any knowledge checks?
This scenario doesn't really provide a knowledge check section, though if there is something specific you want to know I could certainly try dredging up some information.
The wedding itself is scheduled in the early afternoon tomorrow; so the group has time from late afternoon today through tomorrow morning of in-game time for purchases and other endeavors. I have also updated the quick links to include a map of Katheer if needed, the Pathfinder Lodge is generally near the ports by #3 on the map.
“Thank you for getting here so soon,” the nasal voice of Venture-Captain Osretia Cassomiran calls from within the office as the group is beckoned inside. She is a tall, gray-haired woman of Azlanti lineage, and she rifles through papers as she speaks from inside her office.
“Have you met the groom, Farendir Faireven? He’s quite bright, especially for someone from the River Kingdoms.” Venture-Captain Cassomiran’s quest continues fruitlessly as she searches a sagging bookshelf. “The bride’s quite a catch, too; called the Lady of Silver for her father’s wealth. It’s certainly a coup for young Faireven.” Clambering beneath her desk, Osretia’s voice is muffled by stacked texts.
“Anyway, during the wedding feast, the girl’s father, Master Bashir Al-Mudaris, plans to donate several valuable relics to the Pathfinder Society. Clearly, Master Bashir wants to promote his new son-in-law’s status in the Society. That’s where you come in: we need you to escort these antiques to Absalom.” Suddenly, the Venture-Captain’s shouts, “By Irori! I found them!” She places several elegantly scripted invitations on the disheveled desk.
“You do have something decent to wear for the wedding, do you not? You’re going to represent the Society, and we certainly can’t afford any embarrassments.”
The pleasant breezes makes for a delightful time of relaxed drinking amongst friends. Amidst the conversation, a messenger walks briskly along the balcony towards the group. Stopping before the group, the man bows slightly towards everyone and then pulls out several letters sealed with wax. The insignias on the wax seals are unmistakable, bearing the marks of the several factions within the Society. The messenger proffers them towards the group for their respective allegiances, keeping those unclaimed, and then strides away without a word.
While not required, this particular scenario's depth is actually improved with faction missions than without. Feel free to indulge in one if desired, though don't feel obligated to if not. Will begin the briefing tomorrow evening to give Locke a chance to check in.
--------Begin #27: Our Lady of Silver (Tier 5-9)---------
Several weeks have passed since the group's successful return to Absalom from the Fog Peaks in Southern Galt. A missive from a Venture Captain Osretia Cassomiran from the Lodge in Katheer, capital city of Qadira, requesting the assistance of several Pathfinder agents. The request is oddly unspecific as to the nature of the mission, mentioning only that the escort of some relics is needed. The missive includes arrangements for a ship the departs from Absalom to the capital of Qadira in several days time.
Those that take up the offer find themselves on the other end of an uneventful journey by boat that ends in the very busy harbor of Katheer. Hundreds of lateen-rigged merchant dhows move about the port amid the mercantile bustle of the harbor, with the bright-sailed warships of Qadira's naval fleet not far outside of he harbor. The Society's Lodge lies not far from the harbor itself, the building having a shaded balcony that provides a rather exquisite panoramic view of the port below as a pleasant sea breeze does much to alleviate some of the heat from the day.
A tall grey haired woman, with oddly purple tinted eyes that seem to hint of an Azlanti lineage, bustles about the Venture Captain's office next to the balcony. Several well-cushioned wicker chairs line the walls outside of the office, allowing comfortable seating for those awaiting to be seen by Osretia Cassomiran inside.
I'm off to GenCon tomorrow and moving again (out of my in-laws and into my actual house) next week, so I'd prefer to wait a couple of weeks if folks don't mind.
By all means! Shall we say tentatively around the 15th, or would the 22nd be preferred for everyone?
Did you actually report the last game you GMed? I can’t see it. And did we get chronicle sheets?
It is likely that I slipped and forgot the report; which I will check and rectify this evening after work. I checked my PM's, you should have had a message with your chronicle sheet sent to your PM 01/29/22 with your sheet link.
Would switching the credit for fingerprints to slow track fix the issue? I can't remember if they made a change to let you do regular or slow progression per each scenario or if its per level.
With the Aspis Consortium defeated, the group temporarily secure Rachikan, though sounds of hundreds, maybe thousands of morlocks deeper in the city can be heard even as the battle with Haliduras comes to an end. Hearing the sound of countless morlocks still infesting the city, the group retrieves Eldis' body and quickly returns to the surface.
They exit the structure to the waiting crowd of slaves that were laboring earlier, the collective lot of them tensing briefly as the Pathfinders emerge. Their fate is up the the group of adventurers, now that their captors are defeated.
The return trip to Absalom is uneventful, and Eldis' body is returned to Benton. The grieving uncle sends his thanks to each Pathfinder involved in Eldis' return; Benton deciding to re-enter work with the Society and continue the efforts left off by his nephew.
Thugs (each): potion of cure moderate wounds, +2 chain shirt, rapier, kukri, and bronze Aspis Consortium badge (1 gp).
Talia: +1 chain shirt, +1 ring of protection, masterwork rapier, +1 shortbow, +2 arrow (50), bronze Aspis Consortium badge (1 gp), Pathfinder diary containing notes on the Jistka Imperium
Haliduras: wand of cure light wounds (50 charge), scroll of cure critical wounds (2); +3 chain shirt, +1 defending large heavy mace, periapt of Wisdom +2, barbed silver holy symbol of Asmodeus, bronze badge of the Aspis Consortium (1 gp)
Heal DC 20:
You notice the Eldis' corpse bears wounds that do not match that which Andor damaged him with this combat. The wounds appear mortal, leading you to believe that unless magic was involved there was a very high likelihood that Eldis was not alive when you saw him at the beginning of combat.
Knowledge Religion DC 15:
You notice that Eldis' corpse bears corrupted changes and signs that normally indicate that it had been subject to zombification, probably due to an animate dead spell. It was very likely that the man was not alive when you saw him at the start of combat.
Before Spackle starts his dance, Locke shoots three artows at the man.
Miss Chance (Low is Miss):1d100 ⇒ 39
The first arrow strikes the man, while the remainder miss their target.
Spackle wrote:
Move to start Dance of the Fiery Gaze, Standard to activate the Wand of Obscuring Mist.
The obscuring mist arises from the caster's space, but the area on the map was centered on Andor. I have adjusted it on the map, with the grey/green area indicating its previous position and an arrow pointing where I moved it to.
Melisande wrote:
Melisande backs up a bit into the second cloud to be out of channel range, then waves her hands and launches another missile barrage.
The second barrage of magic missiles falter briefly as they near the target, but once again pierce through the man's protections to strike unerringly!
Andor wrote:
Andor attacks the cleric!
Cold Damage:1d6 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
The swashbuckler's first strike causes the man to collapse, even as the cold flames surrounding him flare up to damage Andor in return!
Spackle wrote:
Confusion: This spell causes confusion in all creatures in the area, making them unable to determine their actions. Any confused creature that is attacked automatically attacks or attempts to attack its attackers on its next turn, as long as it is still confused at the start of its next turn.
I think the negative energy channel would be viewed as an attack, no?
The dwarf, previously too confused to realize she was being attacked, turns to confusedly attack the man...but finds him dead on the ground. Confused by this turn of events, she proceeds to hits herself in the face with her axe.
The arrow hits again and explodes in a blast of ice. The cold damage only seems slightly effective, only doing about as much damage as the actual arrow strike.
Melisande wrote:
Well, down to just one since we've apparently killed our intended rescuee. Melisande waves her hands and four missiles fly out to hit Halliduras.
Melisande SR:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
The magic missiles seem to strain against an invisible barrier as they hurtle towards the man, only barely getting through whatever protection he has active before striking him for some damage.
Andor wrote:
I would move Andor to the cleric and attack once.
Andor Cold Damage:1d6 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
As Andor's attack lands, the barrier of cold flame surrounding the man flare up and deal the swashbuckler some chilling damage at the same time!
The man once again brandishes his symbol, causing yet another 30-foot wave of damaging energy to blast out from him!
Channel Negative Energy DC 17:6d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 2, 2, 2, 6) = 20
Round 5:
Locke -14
Spackle -1
Melisande -7 (DC 17 Will for half 20 dmg)
Andor -24 (DC 17 Will for half 20 dmg)
Tereze -28
Brallenera -15 (DC 17 Will for half 20 dmg)
Haliduras -58
Melisande moves up to have a clearer view of the battlefield. Already dead? Wasn't that the guy we were supposed to save? Casts Grease in the green square.
Reflex:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
The armored man slips and falls on his rear with a greasy SPLAT!
Andor wrote:
Oh gosh, wasn't the thing Andor killed undead? :-( He made a knowledge check to be sure.
Andor...Previously! wrote:
Trying to identify pink (see char sheet for skill modifier and please add to roll), heroism, heightened awareness: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
He thought it was something, at least! XD
Andor wrote:
Andor swiftly studies the woman and then attacks to sicken!
The woman appears to get his thrust as Andor makes his point clear with his rapier! The damage from the attack leaves her barely standing afterwards.
Tereze wrote:
Freeze! Tereze calls as she forces some divine energy into the command.
Will Save:1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 4 = 19
The female bard seems to resist Tereze's command, as it appears that she is more used to giving commands than receiving them!
Botting Brallenera
Brallenera wrote:
Awww. Someone is in for a major spanking, it seems.
Confusion Roll:1d100 ⇒ 31
Brallenera proceeds to babble incoherently about several topics on spanking evil doers!
Acrobatics:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18
The armored man unsteadily stands up and shifts out of the greasy area. He then raises a symbol of some kind that was hanging from his neck, causing a 30-foot radius wave of purple damaging energy to radiate out from him! The power of the evil energy knocks out the female bard with its force.
Channel Negative Energy Will DC 17:6d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5) = 24 Talia Will Save:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Round 4:
Locke (DC 17 Will for half 24 damage)
Spackle -1
Melisande (DC 17 Will for half 24 damage)
Andor -2 (DC 17 Will for half 24 damage)
Tereze -30
Brallenera -3 (DC 17 Will for half 24 damage)
Haliduras -29
The woman looks at Andor, and the fallen body of Eldis, and says to Andor: "Look at what has happened to poor Eldis! Maybe you can still save him!" Her voice then modulates in a booming tone as it gains magical force: "You should take him to your boat immediately so your healer can safely revive him away from danger!"
Need a DC 16 Will Save from Andor to avoid following her slightly plausible suggestion!
The man in armor adjusts back away from Andor 5 feet, waving his hands in spellcasting defensively. A shimmering curtain of blue fire erupts around him afterwards!
The thug backflips over the fireball, the woman dodges some of the damage, and the wolf instantly burns to a crisp!
Andor wrote:
Andor swiftly studies the creature in pink and then attacks to sicken!
Andor stabs at Eldis, the rapier shunting through his head! He collapses to the ground, definitely and utterly dead!
Tereze wrote:
Then Tereze uses her enhanced speed and with a calculated decision based on the Spackle's Song, Tereze runs south through the wall of fire and around the fog cloud.
Fire Damage:2d6 + 12 - 20 ⇒ (4, 2) + 12 - 20 = -2
Brallenera wrote:
I wear an Aegis of Recovery, would that work against the spell? (+2 resistance bonus on all saving throws made to recover from a continuing effect)
It would on effects that would allow subsequent saves, but confusion only allows a single save at the start of the initial effect unfortunately.
Brallenera wrote:
Using her magical speed, Brallenera runs THROUGH the wall of fire fearlessly, eager to spread more blood
Fire Damage:2d6 + 12 - 20 ⇒ (4, 4) + 12 - 20 = 0
The yellow thug is cloven in twain following Brallenera's attack!
Locke aims for another payload arrow at the fire caster.
Miss Chance (Low is Miss):1d100 ⇒ 69
The arrow pierces the man's armor with a chink, then explodes. As the burst of flame clears, he seems only slightly singed by the blast for some reason.
Out of curiosity, are you excluding Eldis from the blast or including him in it?
Edited for GM not reading the discussion thread. XD
Spackle wrote:
"Oy now! What's with takin' away me bit o' fun? Well now boyo, two kin play at the game! Don't worry 'bout the flames none Pathfinders. I gots that covered!" Spackle takes aim and launches an arrow.
This shot also hits the nearby thug, the force of the projectile knocking him to the ground unconscious.
Melisande wrote:
That, as you might have already guessed, is a wall of fire. It's a wall, made of fire. Well, two can play at that game.
With that, Melisande waves her hand, tossing a small bead of black material into the middle of all the enemies.
Botting Andor for vacation coverage
Andor, with the social grace of a swashbuckler, delays until after Melisande to make her spellcasting targeting easier.
The woman off to the side on the stairs gestures grandiosely at the Pathfinders, causing a confusing blur of magical energy to briefly flare into existence in a 15-foot burst centered on Brallenera!
Need DC 17 Will Save from Brallenera and Spackle to avoid 7 rounds of being confused. Will make save for Andor in a bit after sifting through his sheet to see if any bonuses apply. Melisande, would you still want to cast your fireball after seeing Locke's firebomb/arrow's result above or change action based on people's will saves?
Round 2:
Wolf
Locke
Spackle -23 (DC 17 Will vs. Confusion)
Talia
Melisande -8
Andor -7 (DC 17 Will vs. Confusion)
Tereze -12
Brallenera -20 (DC 17 Will vs. Confusion)
Haliduras -11
Eldis
Awww, nice to see you. But you should have run away.
Brallenera smile a dangerous smile, and strikes at the would-be foe
The dwarf's first and third strike hit, downing her opponent in the process!
The armored man's voice echoes through the mist with a grim laugh, followed by a short forceful chant that causes a 20-foot tall wall of flame to spring into existence under Brallenera's and Spackle's feet! The blast of fire channels its heat northwards in the direction of Andor, Melisande, and Tereze! The flame sears away the mist in its path, causing normal vision to resume once more. Eldis continues to huddle in front of the armored man, not doing much at the moment.
No saving throws on the damage, unforunately. The flame from the effect burns away the obscuring mist in the direction of the arrows, up to 20 feet away from the line. While in a 20-foot range of the arrow-pointing side of the wall, you are considered under continuous damage for purposes of spell-casting. It is 20-feet high, so Locke is out of danger (for the moment).
Fire Damage (Brallenera/Spackle):2d6 + 12 ⇒ (1, 6) + 12 = 19 Fire Damage (Andor/Melisande/Tereze):2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7
The fiery spell causes three of the wolves to collapse in a flaming heap, the smell of burning fur fill in the air around them. The remaining thug and wolf withdraw away from Brallenera and the wall of fire, back towards the man in armor.
All of the wolves get the blast of fiery splash from the explosive arrow, while the Green Thug backflips over the explosion in an evasive fashion. The Yellow Thug seems quite damaged, bloodied even, but is still standing from the direct hit.
As Spackle's obscuring mist envelops the group, they hear the sounds of what is presumably the sound of a rousing (inspiring, even) song come from the woman who was standing next to the armored man.
To keep flow of initiative, having Eldis delay to the end of initiative order. He will join the armored man, who I forgot to include in the tracker.
