Chaosorbit's PFS #6–03: The Technic Siege (Inactive)

Game Master Chaosorbit

Eldon observes carefully and makes a couple of questions as the group moves to the jungle, just in case there is an apotheke where to buy the root found in the way.
K. local: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Dioneo thanks the apothecary and leaves with his companions. Once out of sight, he gathers them all and says

"Friends, before leaving the lodge without protection for too long, we might head to find the black stone before. So that, meanwhile we are in the jungle, there's at least something behind us to protect it."

Dimble reaches under his large brown hat and scratches his head. He looks confused.

"Hmmm...maybe Dioneo is right. We should check to find the black stone?"

"Doesn't sound like a bad plan but the more we blunder about town, the more likely the Technic will hear of us, I'd rather accomplish a task at a time." Flipping his hair dramatically, "Unless we'd like to split up and have one or two people stay behind and search for the Black Stone,"

Split up? Never liked that idea none. I'll go wherever Seelah goes. Seems most of you fellas are keen on goin' to the jungle though.

"I won't split the party. I maintain my idea to find the black stone first. What do you say of that, Seelah and Eldon?"

"I am also against splitting the party. The chronicles are full of missions that end that way." says the elf while considering the two options "Well, Dioneo is right on securing the stone, but Harmonius has a point on not wandering too much in the city. But if I am to decide for something, I say take the risk and secure the stone."

Eldon will also attempt to pass as a member of the Aspis Consortium while wandering around the city, removing any Pathfinder symbology and walking and behaving as an Aspis would do.
Disguise: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Harmonious will relent on his idea to split the party, "Let's find the black stone first, secure the lodge and hope it tides it over while we tromp through the jungle,"

He'll follow Eldon's lead and similarly disguise himself, offering tips if anyone needs help disguising themselves. Auto succeed on Aid another

Disguise: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Oh, so we're lookin' for stones? I know stuff about stones! August will agree with the rest of the party because, well, he's so agreeable.

Seelah nods in agreement, and together with her allies she heads to the first jeweler on the list Aya provided. She'll put her wayfinder in her backpack, to ensure no one accidentally spots it.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

"Good day," she says as she enters the jewelry shop with the others. "My allies and I are looking for a black diamond from the Brazen Peaks. Do you have such a diamond for sale?"

If the jeweler doesn't have the black diamond, Seelah suggests the party heads to the next jeweler on the list. Rinse and repeat, till the party finds a jeweler who has the item or the party's visited all of the jewelers on the list.

No idea how many jewelers we'll have to visit, so here's a small supply of Diplomacy rolls! :)

"Yes any help would be much appreciated!"

Thank you Seelah for moving forward :)

"Indeed, my friend jeweler! We absolutely need the finest art!" adds Dioneo.

Diplo (aid): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19

hours: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

It takes you almost no time to track down a merchant you think might have the diamond you seek, Uzoma's shop.

The shop is a small clay brick building, one of the few in town with a permanent structure. From within come the sounds of a loud, one-sided discussion.

You still owe 1,000 gold, Uzoma, you’ve had an extra week to pay up. Now where’s the money?

Shop

Sorry for the delay, yesterday was crazy!

Sounds like someone's buyin' somethin' now. Must be a good place! August will follow the paladin inside. Assuming she is going to proceed that way.

Seelah enters the shop and looks at the men there.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

"Good day, gentlemen. Is there a problem? If so, maybe I can help?"

Seelah looks at Uzoma instead of the men when she asks the latter question.

As Seelah enters she sees that the man closer to Uzoma has a club drawn and is slowly tapping it against his open hand. He turns to speak to the Paladin.

Stranger, I don't think so, this ain't none of your business. Get out of here and come back later.

Oh, I see this sorta stuff before. You strongarmin' this shopkeeper here, ain't ya? I don't take kindly ta strongarmin'. Right Seelah? I bet you don't neither.

I don't take kindly to folks interfering in business that isn't theirs, so I'll ask again for you to move along. The man replies to August.

"As a matter of fact, I'm very strongly opposed to strong-arming," says Seelah while taking her shield from her back and drawing her longsword.

"I ask you to leave now, gentlemen. I have no love for violence, but will not let you harm the lady."

As Seelah draws her sword, Whoa, whoa, now, nobody is harming the 'lady', the 'lady' owes my boss a lot of coin, he's been more than fair with her. He's a very understanding person, but at a certain point you can't let people take advantage of you any more.

He takes a step back, Now about you put that sword away. You step around the corner, let us collect my boss's gold, then you can come on back. The 'lady' will be in one-piece I promise. It's only business.

"Why would I first have to step around the corner, then? If you're as trustworthy as you say, conclude your business in front of me."

Sense Motive on man #1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Sense Motive on man #2: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Seelah looks at the shopkeeper. "Could you explain to me what's going on? Do you indeed owe the boss of these men money?"

Sense Motive on shopkeeper: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

While awaiting the replies from the men and shopkeeper, Seelah scans the room for the presence of evil.

August will step forward, next to the paladin. Sounds like we can wait to do our business, right Seelah? Maybe if you fellas wasn't hangin' around like thugs she could do some sellin' and pay off whatever she gotta pay off.

Laughing to help difuse the situation, "Gotta say, The Aspis Consortium doesn't take kindly to some low-level beefs messing on our turf, so uh, I think its time for you guys to get lost,"

He'll put a hand on his sword, ready to draw it if they decide to keep steppin'.

intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Dioneo steps inside the shop and frowns, looking at the events with an amused eye. "Now, now. What are you gonna do?"

The man with the club answers back, Well what I'm saying is since this is none of your business, step out, all of you.

Seelah's hunch is that the man is telling the truth that he won't hurt Uzoma, but her shop may not be so lucky.

The man laughs at August's comment, Yeah, fine I'll step back and let you make your purchase. Hopefully, it will cover what she owes the boss.

Uzoma speaks up looking for compassion from Seelah, It's true I borrowed the money and I can't repay it. I purchased a cache of gems I couldn’t have otherwise afforded. I haven't been able to sell the merchandise, now it's time for me too pay. Your hunch is she is telling the truth.

The man speaks up again, See, like I said, your butting in where you don't belong.

When Harmonius speaks the men back down, looks of confusion on their faces. The man speaks up, Aspis Consortium? turf? I haven't heard about the Aspis being here. Look we don't want trouble with you, we'll leave.

With that the men pass and leave.

Once they are gone, Uzoma speaks up, Thank you, but I don't want trouble with the Aspis Consortium, I've already got enough. They'll be back with their boss is my guess.

Yeah, don't ya worry about them. Maybe you got what we wanna buy. What is it we wanted again? Oh, a black diamond from the Brazen Peaks, right fellas?

Uzoma eyes brighten, I have one yes, very rare, hard to put a price on.

She moves to a locked cabinet, opening it, she brings out a small pouch, opens it and delicately pours it's contents on a soft mat on the counter. There you see a fine looking black diamond.

I would say 1,500 gold would do, for the Aspis Consortium.

Appraise: 1d20 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 + 2 = 3

Wow, I dunno. Whatcha think, fellas?

I mean, while we are being Aspis, we could always take it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harmonious is a character actor, however if I turn evil I'll forget how to use my scimitar so that could be a problem.

Harmonious will take a swig from his waterskin and then spit that water out, "1500 gold, are you kidding me?! I'm sure we can come to some agreement. "

Appraise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Surely it isn't worth that much, can't you bring it down some, we just saved your bacon!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28

Dioneo speaks up, standing tall before the man.

"Surely, you shall grant us a lower price, Uzoma! As my friend just said, we saved your business."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32

Harmonius feels the gem is likely worth more like 500gp.

Uzoma gets a bit of a guilty look on her face.

Half price for friends, 750?

"750 still seems like a lot!"

diplomacy aid: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Appraise: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

Seelah looks at the stone, then at her allies. "I have no idea what it's worth, but I can bring 99 gold pieces to the table."

Listening to his companions, "Look, we both know that gem is 500 gold, I get it, we get it, you got some debt lookin' to pay it off by overchargin' us, we'll take the gem for 500 gold and I'll buy a 1000 gold in diamond dust just to help you out,"

He'll pull out his coin pouch and quickly count out 150 pieces of platinum.

"I don't have time to wait for you to count it, give us the gems and dust,"

August finds his coin purse and looks into it with a confused look. He then hands it to Seelah. Umm, I think I gots plenty but how many of these coins will be my share?

Uzoma agrees to Harmonius offer and you are off. Back to Sharrowsmith's Exports. You arrive to find Aya pouring over an ancient tome.

As you enter, Did you find Rand?

Once you've shared your report, Aya looks anxious, and offers to perform the ritual to reactivate the armor using the gem and sends you back on you way.

Off the jungle?

Seems that way.

Yes! In the jungle!

Dioneo offers to pay his share of the 500 GP. "I'm a generous Baron, after all."

Jungle

hours: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

You trek into the jungle to search for the baobab root needed to reactivate the wood golem. Trudging through the thick jungle is difficult work, while constantly looking for the right tree. The excursion out and back takes at least 5 hours.

This can be reduced by successful DC 20 Survival check AND/OR DC 20 Knowledge (nature) skill check.

At long last you find the tree you seek by the clean waters of a Vanji River tributary. The tree sits nestled on the shore and the lovely area has attracted a pair of hippopotami who are busy enjoying a meal and cooling off from the harsh sun.

Dimble looks around the jungle for the root.

"Wow this place is hot! I've never been to the jungle. I wonder if we'll see any monkeys!"

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Looking around, Dioneo frowns. "I've traveled in jungles before but... I can't remember how to travel faster. Oh, maybe by setting the whole forest in fire?" says the baron with a smirk, clearly not intending to do so.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

August has been in the jungle before but he' never led an excusion into one.

So, we just gotta swim o'er there to that there tree? What about them critters there? Are they dangerous?

Survival aid another: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Unable to help much the party, Eldon just follow most of the time, pointing some small details his keen eyes perceive in help of the group.

As the group takes sight of the baobab tree he offers himself to help resolve the situation "I do not think we travel with anyone able to calm down those hipos... so let me try to stealthily reach the tree. Please, try to distract them."

While others attempt to calm the hippos and collaborate, fascinate or distract them, the elf risks into the waters hiding behind the bigger stones. Once he reaches the tree, he attempts to obtain the root and come back the same way.
Swim: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Swim back: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

He uses his wand to cast a shield spell on himself just in case the animals get wild.

Eldon put a line on the map to show your path to and from the tree.

With his scimitar at the ready, poised as a machete, Harmonious leads the party through the jungle.

Survival: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20 remarkable

Upon arriving at the Hippos, "Crikey mates, what we see here is a couple o' hippo's in their natural habitat, bathing and relaxing. Careful we don't spook 'em, they're dangerous beasts." Listening to Eldon Garcia's plan, "Crikey, now these are dangerous beasts, I'm going to go put my head in its mouth to see what happens,"

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Drawn a red line for the go and a green one for the return.
Good luck Eldon! Oups, scary beasts those ones.

August, being in full plate, really doesn't want to try to swim if he doesn't need to. It seems Eldon is going across with stealth on his own.

August will watch to see if the hippos start to cause any trouble. Lemme know if I gotta take 'em out.

Dimble will watch with his crossbow out.

@Harmonius - in what way are you trying to use handle animal.

We'll take this slow at first.

Eldon begins to move around toward the tree. While he is being quite sneaky, the others notice the first hippo moves in his direction slightly, it seems to go on edge.

August will move toward the first hippo in order to protect his new friend.