Chaosorbit's PFS #6–05: Slave Ships of Absalom (Inactive)

Game Master Chaosorbit

Aramil moves in to follow.
Could someone put me right in front of Onix? I'll be posting by phone today.

If the capatinis in there she has had plenty of forewarning and might be invisible! Farg calls out to his companions.

@Farg I assume you move to free the next slave?

@Shine Where are you standing to cast create water? Inside the door or right outside the door?

Will step us forward a little more slowly, so everyone can see what's going on before there turn.

Aramil moves into the room past Ozak who falls in behind him. They enter the next room to find a combination storeroom and galley. Barrels and crates intermingle with tables used to prepare food and implements used to do so. This room also appears to be unoccupied.

Kelson's Alchemist's Fire continues to burn the trollhound.
Kelson Alchemist's Fire: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Round 5 Slave Ship 3

Trollhound Moon 40 dmg - fire damage - down
Kennel Master 32 dmg
Aramil 5 dmg
Trollhound Sun 45 dmg - fire damage - down
Ozak
Kelson
Farg
Onix - pending move
Shine - pending move and create water
Rilla

@Shine Where are you standing to cast create water? Inside the door or right outside the door?

Shine will stand ready behind Ozak to deal with whatever is in the room.

Shine was right behind Ozak when he opened the door and cast as soon as she saw the fire.

@Shine -- I should have clarified, but I don't think you had enough movement to get over to right behind Ozak after (or before) your channel positive energy. You were down toward the bottom of the map when you indicated you were channeling, then moved. I thought your movement was 15' or 20', so I placed you next to Farg.

Your movement would have had to be 25' to be were you wanted.

That make sense or did I mess up your speed?

I'll inspire courage and move to help free the slaves

No Shine's speed is actually 15' in armor. So move after channel and then move again before casting Create Water? I am no longer sure where I was.

Farg continues to free the slaves (see DD rolls above). From the positioning of the slaves on the map I was assuming a 5 foot step between each DD would be sufficient and that can be taken as part of a full round action if I'm not totally mistaken.

@Shine okay I'll put you at the door to cast.

@Karg Yep no problem, you can five foot if you delay behind Shine this round.

Kelson continues to inspire the courage of his cohorts as he moves forward to help free the slaves. Onix joins the search for the Captain, who is nowhere to be found. Something is clearly amiss! Shine rains water down on the brazier dousing the fire, as Farg frees the 3rd of the 4 slaves.

Rilla's Flaming Sphere charbroils the trollhound.
Flaming Sphere: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) = 10

Content that the trollhound won't get back up again Rilla rolls the Flaming Sphere down to the other trollhound.

It's at that moment the Captain appears and right next to Kelson!! She wears an angry scow and wields twin kukri and attempts to take a slice out of the helpful young bard.

Kukri attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 = 31
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7
Threaten a crit: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25
crit damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

The Kukri cuts deep!

Everyone hears the sound of combat erupt anew.

Round 6 Slave Ship 3
Captain Wardak
Trollhound Moon 40 dmg - fire damage - down
Kennel Master 32 dmg
Aramil 5 dmg
Trollhound Sun 55 dmg - CRISPY
Ozak
Kelson 18 dmg
Onix
Shine
Farg
Rilla

The group can now react to this new threat.

Onix double moves again, this time to help the bard.

Shine moves towards the new enemy and casts Burst of Radiance to catch only her. DC 16 Reflex save or blinded for 1d4 rounds. If she makes it she is dazzled for 1d4 rounnds. And if she is evil she takes 5d4 points of damage even if she makes the save.

Burst Damage: 5d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 4, 4) = 14

Ozak rushes over and swings at the captain.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 2 = 12

Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 2 = 9

He then smirks spending a ki point and vanishes.

And a 1...

Hearing combat, Aramil hustles back to cut off the captain. (Double Move back to the other room.)

Farg has faith in his companions prowess and continues to free the captives.

Quickly the Pathfinder surround the Captain. Aramil, Onix, and Ozak all rush from the Captain's quarters to Kelson's side. Ozak manages an attack but misses and vanishes.

Fairspendle Shining Star calls forth a burst of Sarenrae's radiance.

The burst clearly damages the evil Captain Wardak.

DC 16 Reflex or Blinded: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 Fail!
rounds blinded or dazzled: 1d4 ⇒ 2

As the radiant light bursts around her the Captain lets out a distressed wail. My eyes, my eyes -- I can't see! Who are you devils!

Farg moves to free the last of the slaves, while Rilla lets a squeal of approval. That's the way! As she continues to char the trollhounds.

Flaming Sphere: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 2) = 12

Round 6
Captain Wardak 14 dmg - blinded 2 rnds
Trollhound Moon 52 dmg - CRUNCHY
Kennel Master 32 dmg
Aramil 5 dmg
Trollhound Sun 55 dmg - CRISPY
Ozak
Kelson 18 dmg
Onix
Shine
Farg
Rilla

Kelson is up!

attack the captain

arrgh slaver bastard!

attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Kelson's attack misses the Captain. Who, now blinded, thrashes wildly with her kukris at Kelson in an attempt to clear her escape route. Grunting loudly with each swing and trying to muster a bit of her failing bravado with idle threats. Get off my ship! I'll cut you to bits!

50% miss chance thanks to blinded condition, high will hit.

Miss chance Attack 1: 1d100 ⇒ 90 hit
Miss chance Attack 2: 1d100 ⇒ 43 miss

Attack 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 miss!
damage attack 1: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Attack 2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 Still a miss!
damage attack 2: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Kelson is easily nimble enough to avoid the blind women's attacks, which begin to seem feeble. Frustration building. NO!

Round 7 Slave Ship 3
Captain Wardak 14 dmg - blinded 1 more rnd
Aramil 5 dmg
Ozak vanished
Kelson 18 dmg
Onix
Shine
Farg
Rilla

Out of Combat
Trollhound Moon 52 dmg - CRUNCHY
Kennel Master 32 dmg
Trollhound Sun 55 dmg - CRISPY

Pathfinders!

Aramil launches a full attack against the captain.
Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 13
Damage+Sneak Attack: 1d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + (6) = 12
Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 19
Damage+Sneak Attack: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (5) = 9

Ozak slices at the captain twice.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 2 = 21

Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (2, 3) = 8

Attack 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 2 = 28

Damage 2: 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + (6, 3) = 11 Since shes blind she loses dex so this should also be sneak attack.

Crit Conferm: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 = 12

Damage: 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + (1, 2) = 6

Aramil slices the Captain missing with the first attack, steeling his resolve the second attack hits cutting into the flailing foe. Quickly Ozak's blade flashes; once, twice both attacks cut deeply! The blades of the 2 pathfinders are to much for the Captain to withstand and she drops in a heap to the ground!

Out of combat!

Let me know what all you want to do now; that puts up in the wrap up part of the scenario. So I'll respond to what you guys want to do and conclude the story, as we go along, this one has a decent amount of wrap up.

I want to make sure all the slaves get safely off the boat

Ozak wants to be sure the Pathfinder gets back but first will seach the ship and any salvageable documents.

Ditto with making sure the slaves are off the boat but add "and freed! Shine will try to get their stories too. And of course she tries to recover the papers that the captain was trying to burn. And there is the looting of the ship to attend to. :) Once all that is done we need to pay a visit to Lady Darchana, Archdean of the Arcanamirium to update her on all we have learned. And we have a redund to pay to the other lady who owned the slave, right?

Not much to add here...

Indeed

First the slaves:
When asked about her experience, Rilla, the enslaved Pathfinder, recounts her time spent in the Okeno slave markets on Stonespire Island.

I remember being separated from the other Pathfinders while on assignment in Katapesh, then I was taken to Okeno, marched inland to a little fort with a lot of gnolls. The gnolls deferred to a humanoid woman who always wore a heavy veil that concealed her head and face. A couple of times, the veiled woman used surgical tools to take some of my blood. I usually have such a good memory, but much of that time seems really fuzzy to me. I vaguely recalls lessons on how to serve multi-course meals and help nobles into and out of fancy clothes. When the veiled woman was satisfied with my progress, the gnolls marched me and the others back to Okeno and put us on this ship.

(Later back at the Grand Lodge, relays the same story to Venture-Captain Valsin. At the meeting, Rilla inquires as to the fate of the other Pathfinders she was on assignment with in Katapesh, to which Venture-Captain Valsin closes his eyes and slowly shakes his head. No contact is all he says on the matter.)

The other slaves have similar stories regarding their time on Stonespire Island, all include details about the gnolls and the veiled woman.

Searching the ship you find:
On the Kennel Master:

3 +1 flaming arrows, a potion of cure moderate wounds, a potion of divine favor, masterwork chain shirt, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str) with 19 arrows, masterwork falchion, and 26 gp.

On the Captain:

+1 studded leather, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of cure serious wounds, alchemist’s fire (3), tanglefoot bags (2), 2 mwk kukris, a key to the slave manacles, pair of emerald earrings (75 gp), pair of gold earrings (20 gp), and 54 gp.

In the Captain's Quarters:

It appears the Captain was burning all the ships records. Most of it is a total loss. But one significant thing you find is the corner of a letter signed “Muhlia.”

(When you show this to Venture Captain Valsin later he relays that I'm almost certain it refers to Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri, a former Pathfinder and once upon a time leader of the Qadira faction. She disappeared after some nasty business in Taldor 3 years ago and we've only seen her shadow since then. )

Nothing else on the ship is particularly noteworthy. Once safe, the harbor pilot, Zigil, dutifully navigates the ship through the Ship Graveyard safely to the docks, where city officials take custody of the vessel.

You are able to bring the slaves safely to the Grand Lodge.

Meeting Lady Darchana:

You travel to the estate of Lady Darchana in the Petals District. A tall wall of polished stone surrounds the property and its gardens, containing many strange looking plants with high aesthetic value.

A doorman greets you and confirms your identities. He then escorts you into the three-story residence, noting, Lady Darchana has been expecting you. The estate manager, Jemina, leads you upstairs to a study.

The walls of the study are inset with bookshelves that are brimming with texts of all varieties. A large drawing table in the middle of the room bears an unrolled map of the Inner Sea region. At the far end of the study stands an impressive darkwood desk, and seated behind it is a woman dressed in midnight-blue robes. Her piercing gray eyes look expectantly at Jemina.

The estate manager softly clears her throat and announces, Senior Lesser Councilwoman, Archdean of the Arcanamirium, Second Spell Lord of Absalom, Lady Darchana of House Madinani, please receive these agents of the Master of Spells Aram Zey of the Pathfinder Society.

Lady Darchana beckons with a short hand movement, Pathfinders, join me. That is all, Jemina. She folds her hands together and waits for Jemina to close the door behind her, then continues. After my conversation with Master Zey, he agreed by necessity to keep the details that were passed on to you to a minimum. I am keenly interested to hear what you were able to learn based on what you were provided.

Feel free to role-play it out. Also take a look at discussion if you haven't already.

Lady Darchana listens intently at your report, then smiles coyly and interjects.

An Okeno pirate captain? Captain Wardak of the At Sea. [b] she nods her head.
[b] Gnolls on Stonespire Island and a mysterious veiled women.

She pauses a moment and flips open a ledger sitting on her desk that bears the seal of the harbormaster and begins scanning the pages, When I became aware of the eavesdropping handmaiden, using my own magic I was able to follow the arcane trail back to its origin. I only got a brief glimpse of the heavily veiled perpetrator, but based on the distance and direction, I knew the culprit was on Stonespire Island—somewhere underground on the island at any rate, with a powerfully enchanted mirror. The Okeno pirates’ base of operations is a city on that island, and the Fleshfairs may be the largest slave markets on all of Golarion. It is a cunning place through which to move these sensored slaves.

Her hand finally comes to rest in the ledger. At Sea, here we are. It has been to Absalom two other times in the last three months. According to this, however, it has been marked with a bounty, as you mentioned. Failure to fully declare cargo value for taxation. She clicks her tongue loudly. Excellent. You should be able to claim that, no doubt Valsin will be pleased at that.

Now the thing that interests me the most and advances finding the veiled culprit the most is this name Muhlia. It does ring a bell. But I think I'll let you Venture Captain bring you up to speed about that.

Lady Darchana dismissing you by saying Pathfinders, you have done a great service to Absalom today. The full extent, understandably, may never be widely known or recognized by the sleeping masses, but know that the Pathfinder Society can count on me as a friend and ally, and I hope that I may call upon you again in the future should the need arise. And it may be very soon.

With that you are escorted out.

Loose Ends:
The 'At Sea' is impounded at docks and you are issued the bounty payment authorized for its seizure, 1025 gp.

The freed slaves are made guests at the Grand Lodge until the divining magic can be safely removed, then they are provided a stipend and are free to start a new life.

Lady Silviana receives her refund and you gain a budding friendship as a result, of going the extra mile for her.

Segue:
While some of you go off to other missions.

A few of you are called back to Venture Captain Valsin office a few days later. To be continued in #6-11: The Slave Master's Mirror.

Yay! Thank you for running.