BrOp's PFS #7-05 School of Spirits (Inactive)

Game Master Branding Opportunity

"A small fee seems reasonable. My guess is you have no need for money and that bartering might be more useful for you? We can probably get fertilizer, as it is market day!"

she'll take a minute to call Odin once over the gate, letting him fold back into reality around a corner, and make sure message is up before going in. i tend to use message like a subvocal walkie talkie, is that alright?

Leia hangs back with J, and keeps a lookout for anything else that might be in the area. Into the message she utters,"are we sure we can trust anything that grows and lives under that twisted crystal dome? its magic has seriously corrupted many plants. If there's some dark druid toiling away here, be careful negotiating with its minion. "

Lilybeth uses the message to relay her opinion to the group.

"This place is fascinating! If we could convince the local powers to allow the Pathfinder Society to do research here I'm sure it would lead to a major article in one of the upcoming chronicles!"

Message: "It is... interesting, certainly. Although I am also concerned about what leafy agenda our new friend may have."

Davnet responds to the plant, mustering all the courtesy he can. "Majordomo Pip, we would be very interested to meet the Master Gardener. Thank you."

Staying close to Jania Egmund draws on his divine connection he prays,
Osiris open me to the waters of truth and show me those who disturb ma'at.

Detect evil in the direction of the arboretum attempting to include the Mandragora if possible without leaving Jania's side

Sad waits to move on, patiently guarding J.

The plant creature is difficult to read, and sways back and forth like a bush caught in a wind as it speaks to you. "The entrance fee is very minimal: a small amount of your blood. Not enough to damage your constitutions, but enough to be useful in my own personal research."

"Hmmm, I rather like my blood inside my body. Is there anything else we could get you? If you want blood we could get you like a whole cow? "

The strange plant creature cocks his head. "Cow, you say? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that species. A cow would serve as a worthwhile substitute for one of you, yes."

"We could bring you a whole collection of animals. A different species for each of us, does that sound fair to you?"

The Majordomo thinks about this for a moment before giving his answer in a high sing-songy voice. "Yes, I believe that would be a fair trade."

Sad Rock shrugs, happy either way. He is not used to people asking for his blood. Most of the time, people attack him to spill his blood....so asking for it is a welcome, if confusing, change.

Sad will go with the others to procure blood animals.

Egmund's face had turned hard after his brief prayer and it was clear he was holding his tongue during Lilybeth's negotiation.

As the group moves away from the Arboretum he lags behind slightly to ensure that he is between the Mandragora and Junia.

After the group has climbed back over the walls, he turns to Lilybeth.

"That was a well done. Giving my blood to an evil creature is something that I could not do and I have no problems with providing animals. We should be on our guard as I would not trust it to keep its word."

So off to the Market District to buy some chickens, ducks, cows, etc? Perhaps everyone could list your preference in animal, or I could just make up something, i.e. let me know whether you want to RP this or let me hand wave it.

"That was a well done. Giving my blood to an evil creature is something that I could not do and I have no problems with providing animals. We should be on our guard as I would not trust it to keep its word."

"Thank you. Well, if it breaks its promise, I guess you have no problem, moral or otherwise, to break it." Lilybeth says while looking at Egmund's muscled arms.

"I noticed you scanning its aura. How strong was the evil within it?"

So off to the Market District to buy some chickens, ducks, cows, etc? Perhaps everyone could list your preference in animal, or I could just make up something, i.e. let me know whether you want to RP this or let me hand wave it.

Why did I offer a cow. Something smaller would be much more easier to handle. Maybe there is a calf available.

Sad looks for an animal that would likely die for food anyway: a chicken, a cow, or a flumph. He wants no part in hurting an animal that wasn't being bred for consumption.

"Sad shopping too."

Sad leads on to the markets, but stays close to J.

Upon hearing that the mandragora was evil, Davnet appears confused. "But it was so polite!" Now why would it want blood?

"What is an appropriate animal sacrifice for a plant creature?" he muses out loud. "Perhaps a canine or equine?"

Davnet will purchase a small animal of some kind, following suggestions by the others if they make them.

"What is an appropriate animal sacrifice for a plant creature?" he muses out loud. "Perhaps a canine or equine?"

"A herbivore! Seems kind of poetic to buy a rabbit for a carrot creature"

He wants no part in hurting an animal that wasn't being bred for consumption.

Not even the pigeon that mistook him for a statue?

"... and what will an evil creature do with a blood sacrifice?" Davnet muses aloud.

does the blood of summoned creatures "poof" when they expire? or could you bleed a live summon enough to collect some blood before they're returned to their home plane?

Leia stares off, unfocused on what's going on, contemplating on something very intently. Odin remains alert, watching and smelling, looking for a threat from the left,and from the right, as we go. His tired head lazily looking left, the more adroid right head ears perked, attention laser sharp, his little gold and green leather vest ruffling as he shifts and guards.

I'll take finding a small goat or pig, if it turns out the summon's thing is decidedly unethical or impossible.

ooh no, i'll find a small yak maybe. see if i can push it to attack if necessary. lol

ooh no, i'll find a small yak maybe. see if i can push it to attack if necessary. lol

As animals tend to be very sensitive to unnatural phenonema, it might be good to take animals that we can control, like caged ducks and the like.

fair enough. a small pig for me then.

The group quickly leaves the Arboretum Arcanis, heading back into through the Merchant's Quarter and into the Coins to find some small animals. After an hour of shopping in the market, each of you finds a small animal to "donate" to Majordomo Pip. Leia finds a small pig with brown and white fur, Lilybeth indeed finds a small, black calf that proves quite resistant to being led around, Sad Rock purchases a chicken, while Davnet finds a crow with beady eyes at a stall selling pet birds. Egmund decides on a sheep.

To make it fair across the board, everyone please deduct 1 gp from your inventory.

After your shopping trip, you head back to the Precipice Quarter. On the walk back, J seems a little confused by your actions. "I always thought of Pathfinders as bold explorers and adventurers. I never thought of you as animal wranglers. Is this usual?"

Upon returning to the demolished arboretum, Majordomo pip seems ecstatic at your choices. "Wonderful!" he screeches in a whistle-like high-pitched voice, clapping his enormous hands together. "If you would please place them or tie them up next to the thorn tree, and hold them down while I extract your donations."

Sad Rock waddles up to the thorn tree, his agile breastplate making his progress slow.

"Okay, chicken, you not hurt too much," Sad says, approaching the tree and trying not to choke his chicken. "Soon you be food."

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 Know (Nature) - thorn tree

Sad will tie his chicken to the tree.

-1 gp. I just wish I had one PFS scenario where I wasn't tying a chicken sacrifice to a tree. Just *one*.

To J: "Sometimes, adventure requires menial labor first. We have no quarrel with this guardian, and no reason to destroy him. If we treat him well, he may provide us with information. In either case, violence may be averted."

As we return, Davnet asks Egmund quietly: "Are there other evils near? Need we fear a trap?"

To the Majordomo: "What will you do with the blood? Will the animal survive?" He hands the crow over directly to the plant-thing, not following instructions.

-1 gp. I just wish I could play one game with Painlord that didn't involve chicken-choking. Just *one*.

After your shopping trip, you head back to the Precipice Quarter. On the walk back, J seems a little confused by your actions. "I always thought of Pathfinders as bold explorers and adventurers. I never thought of you as animal wranglers. Is this usual?"

"Well, I've never had to do anything like this before, but as my uncle aways says: Expect the unexpected!"

Painlord's wife makes amazing chicken!

Lilybeth leads the calf to the tree.

Sad Rock waddles up to the thorn tree, his agile breastplate making his progress slow.

"Okay, chicken, you not hurt too much," Sad says, approaching the tree and trying not to choke his chicken. "Soon you be food."

Sad will tie his chicken to the tree.

-1 gp. I just wish I had one PFS scenario where I wasn't tying a chicken sacrifice to a tree. Just *one*.

I try to put a chicken in each of my scenarios. A chicken, or a chicken substitute, that is.

Majordomo Pip answers Davnet. "I use the blood for my experiments. The animals will probably stay alive until the ghouls awaken tonight. They will smell the animals and come kill them, so I will release them before sundown, so I don't attract the undead. They are not interested in such a thing as myself, but they still can cause much damage to the Arboretum."

The mandragora waddles over to the chicken with his oddly-shaped feet. He holds out his hand, which begins to shift its shape until the ends of his fingers resemble long, hollow straws. He then jams one of the fingers into the chicken, which begins to flap around wildly and squawk. He grabs it with his other hand to hold it steady, but does not kill it. Slowly you see chicken blood flowing through his translucent finger-needle. It follows vein-like pathways into his arm, and fills one of the small nodules on his back. Once he has extracted enough blood, he withdraws his bloody finger and looks to the rest of the animals.

"Wonderful! Who's next?"

Lilybeth leads the calf to Majordomo Pip

Egmund leads the sheep to the tree and stays close until Junia has brought her animal and has returned to a safe distance.

Assuming that happens without incident he will scan the area for other sources of evil.

Sad Rock waddles away from the tree, having made his sacrifice, his rocky face taught with earnesty.

"See? Sad Rock good packminder."

"See? Sad Rock good packminder."

Leia carries the pig over to Pip

Majordomo Pip proceeds to take blood samples of each of the offered animals, a new nodule on his back filling as he does so. Once he has completed the task, he rubs his hands together.

"Very well, I will take you to the Master Gardener. Please watch your step, there are many important plants about."

He then turns and walks through the only usable exit.

Assuming you follow him ...

The mandragora leads you into a corridor with a single exit. Decaying vines carpet the walls and ceiling of this room. The door on the fare end is riddled with narrow cracks and fissures, extending several feet below. The room is quite dark, as the only light comes through the vine-choked skylights in the ceiling, with the low-hanging, purple clouds above.

Pip continues through this corridor, asking you not to step on the vines if possible, and leads you to another room. A collapsed sign near the door lists the exhibit that was on display in this gallery at the time of the earthquake: “Flowering Shrubs of Eastern Taldor”. Plants once grew in the large, ceramic planters that still hug the southern wall. Dozens of branches clinging to decaying leaves emerge from the wooden door to the north. To the east, a room with healthy trees and shrubs is visible through a glass door set in a wrought iron frame.

Majordomo Pip indicates the door to the east. "Would you see what I have been working on?"

Lilybeth whispers through the message:

"Eastern Taldor... A Lion is something that is often used in Taldorian Regaldry, so the Red Lion could likely be found there!"

"Yes please! I'm quite curious!"

While Egmund continues his silent prayers to reveal the presence of evil it is obvious that he is concerned about the team's safety.

Any results from the detect evil?

He continues to move to keep Junia in the pocket between himself and Sad Rock.

trying to keep alert to any hidden plant threat.

k. nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
perception w/ lowlight: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
odin. perception w/ darkvision: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Majordomo Pip indicates the door to the east. "Would you see what I have been working on?"

Sad Rock is eager to see what the Majordomo has been working on, but remains steadfast in his dedication to protect J, so he stays waddling by her side.

"Sad want see what you have do, Major Dodo," Sad remarks, offering a smart salute to the military herbalist.

Davnet grips his longspear tightly and follows the group, alert for any danger.

"Well, if i'm not the only one who feels a bit more secure with my weapon drawn already... " leia mutters, drawing her pistol and checking that its loaded with a normal bullet.

Egmund readies his shield but holds off on drawing his sword for the moment.

Davnet didn't draw anything... he's got a 10' spear, so he's been walking around with it in one hand like a walking stick. Sorry that wasn't clearer from the beginning.

Egmund continues detecting the mandragora's evil aura, but notices no other evil in the area.

Majordomo seems a little pleased as he leads the party to the room to the east, opening a heavy door by sticking his hand in the gap and swelling his arm until it is open wide enough to grasp with both hands.

Inside the small chamber you find dozens of healthy plants with vibrant and colorful leaves, fruit, and flowers emerge from the decay in this small greenhouse, spilling out of the pots and berths that once contained them. The room oblong in shape and roughly 25 feet long and 15 feet wide with no other visible exits.

"This is where I conduct my experiments," he says with some pride. "These plants have been enhanced to produce supernatural effects. They are all available for a minimal blood donation!l"

Sad Rock looks in and tries to decipher what the majordomo has been working on.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 Know (Nature)

Egmund continues detecting the mandragora's evil aura, but notices no other evil in the area.

Faint, Moderate, Strong or Overwhelming?

"This is where I conduct my experiments," he says with some pride. "These plants have been enhanced to produce supernatural effects. They are all available for a minimal blood donation!l"

"That's so cool! Mind if I would return later and trade you some other animals for it? By the way, if you don't need the animals anymore, we'll just take them back to the city. No need to feed the ghouls!"

I wonder if animals can get ghoul fever. Would that result in Ghoul chicken? Might be a very insightful experiment. I don't think Egmund would like it though. He has very clearly defined abs ethics.

My cousin Link was known for slaughtering chickens... if they had ghoul fever, that would make a lot more sense...

Sad Rock looks in and tries to decipher what the majordomo has been working on.

Mandragora shakes his mossy and misshapen head. "No, no, these are special plants that would require a personal donation. They are far too valuable to me."