"...And Sivanshen may have been taking his shadow magic TO Nidal -- where he would logically find refuge -- rather than the dark shadow magic coming FROM Nidal. What am I missing? What do we know about Sivanshen? Of course, I recognize that not of this speculating should stop us from getting out to Cutlass Cove to see what we can discover there..."
Ailyn sighs heavily, "Unfortunately we don't know much about him, rumors about their previous adventures have Sivanshen as a meticulous notekeeper and constant companion. Most of the records that would give us a clue are inside Delvehaven... By every account an excellent Chronicler. Nothing special. Perhaps we can ask his companions when we find some remains." She shrugs, unhappy she's not more helpful.
At some later moment, Sabinus speaks to Ailyn in private: "Can you tell me more about the Pathfinder Society? All your stories have really piqued my imagination. How did you become a member? I too agree on the importance of recording history and discoveries, and I've been working on developing a code to record some notes about our own discoveries and adventures, which started fairly mundane but have lately been taking a more dramatic turn. From what you say, it seems like the Society would look favorably to those who uncover the secrets of Delvehaven, unofficially at least?"
Ailyn smiles at your interest, and spends several minutes lauding the virtues of the Pathfinder Society, their deeds and accomplishment, thirst for knowledge and adventure, and relentless pursuit of the unknown. "We are the ultimate adventurers, in my opinion. Because the adventure never ends for a Pathfinder, there's always knowledge to pursue. One of my teachers at university was a Pathfinder, but had to cease from a terrible injury which affected his nerves. The poor man couldn't stop shaking, much less hold a sword or a bow. So he taught instead, and inspired my imagination with his artifacts and tales of exotic places." She puts her hand on your shoulder, "The Society will immortalize the names of those who uncover Delvehaven's secrets. Yours and the others will never be forgotten. Their favor would be, quite immense, I assure you."
An cowed erinyes-head glances about at Corneleous's words, as if seeing the others for the first time. Her gaze goes in and out of focus, and flashes of an intense, lunatic hatred cross her face constantly. It's clear its a struggle for the creature to remain coherent and in the moment. In halting common she explains who she is and what happened to her, frequently switching to abyssal and needing translation from Corneleous. Just as frequently she loses herself and begins ranting and raving, always in Abyssal, but the reason behind it slowly becomes clear as her tale unfolds.
The last millennium has been hard on Khazrae Kuelata, as she calls herself. Once a prominent erinyes assassin and scourge of a legion of the damned in Dis, she lost a key political battle against a longstanding nemesis for the favor of her patron, the archdevil Moloch. Rather than slay her, Moloch had Khazrae’s body destroyed, wings and all, and left her a talking head so that she could endure perpetual humiliation at the hands of her successors. Centuries later, when her devilish rivals finally bored of her, they casually gambled Khazrae away in a failed intellectual gambit against a pesky mortal spellcaster named Dargentu Vheed—a wizard who was only a few short months away from assuming the role of Mayor of Westcrown back in 4661 ar. Dargentu was quite pleased with his new trophy, and for many years kept his noisy but amusing prize as the centerpiece of his table in the mayoral residence.
Vheed actually lived in the Delvehaven lodge for a year while he was having some extensive renovations done to his manor (a practice that many of Westcrown’s mayors have followed), and kept Khazrae on display on a shelf for some time as well. Yet after Khazrae humiliated Dargentu by revealing some of his more delicate indiscretions to an important guest, the wizard locked Khazrae’s head into the Chelish crux, and then promptly forgot about her. There she has remained for centuries.
she scream in a now-common fit of rage.
Working together, Sabinus and Ailyn decrypt The Wave Door poem, and jot down the message it contains.
1: The Wave Door is located in Cutlass Cove, above the waves of the cove itself and about 100 yards off the shore of the black sand beach on the northeast shore of the uninhabited island of Wart Rock.
2: The Wave Door can only be opened at night.
3: In order to open the Wave Door, someone must first activate a wayfinder to create light so that the light created falls upon the point in space above the water where the Wave Door is located.
4: Once the location is lit, someone (not necessarily the wayfinder user) must recite Delvehaven’s Oath, a vow taken by all Pathfinders when they join Delvehaven’s roster.
After reading through it once or twice Ailyn's face falls, and her hand drops subconsciously to a pocket, "I don't suppose you lot have a wayfinder, do you?"
"You don't have yours?"
Ailyn gives him a look, "Of course I do, but the Society has been very clear on Pathfinder involvement in this matter. I'm not even supposed to be in town!" Her finger starts to trace something in her pocket, "Perhaps there's on in town you can purchase?"
Sabinus nods in acknowledgement of Caladius' compliment. He is clearly trying to match the tiefling's cool detachment, but he fails to entirely conceal his pleasure at Caladius' approval.
Sabinus is very excited about the prospect of the party obtaining a wayfinder. "I don't think I have enough funds left right now, but I'm happy for the cost of the wayfinder to come from my share of future resources that come our way. I would love to figure out how those work." Does Sabinus know whether any of the shops of arcana he frequents might have a wayfinder?
"I'll accompany you on the shopping spree, Sabinus," says Enko quietly.
He turns to look at the erinyes. "Vheed. Dargentu Vheed. And we've heard his name before. Dargentu imprisoned the devil that carried Caladius' glaive." He looks at the Viscount, as close to accusingly as the monk gets. "These infernal binders appear to be in the habit of summoning devils just to discard them."
"It's Ava's glaive now, thank the gods." He turns his attention back to Ailyn, "Well if those two can't find another wayfinder, we'll be needing yours, forbidden involvement or no. I don't know what 'Pathfinder rules' you refer to, but if you want to go to the Cove with us, you should go to the Cove." His disapproval of stuffy, arbitrary rules expressed to his satisfaction, Caladius turns back to the goods spread on the table. "So why did Vheed put all this stuff in the crux?"
Sabinus thinks of two establishments likely to have a wayfinder.
Ailyn looks sorely tempted, but shakes her head in reply to Caladius, "I will not be joining you. For the sake of the rules as well as a desire not to get into your way." She smiles, "But thank you for the offer."
"I think I know of a couple places that may have a wayfinder. Enko, are you ready to go? Ava, want to come along and see if you can get a better price? Even the purveyors of obscure oddities in this town seem to react when you mention your (er, Marina's) friendship with Visbaronetess Aulamaxa." Sabinus then pauses... "Um, I'm out of substantial resources at the moment, having spent all but about 50 gp on equipment for the next stage of our efforts. Like I said, I'm happy for the cost of the wayfinder to come out of my future share of our discoveries, but does anyone have 500 or so gp they can advance us?"
Caladius shakes his head at Sabinus' question. "Not that much, no." He drops a pouch of 200gp on to the table, "A little less than half, but if it gets us what we need."
"I have funds, and yes, Ava, your help would be immensely appreciated. It warms my heart to know that you have found a friend," says the monk with a complete lack of guile.
|
Might there be a wayfinder abandoned in Delvehaven? the Viscount queries the pathfinder. How common are these devices around pathfinder lodges?
Lucon, the magics of prophecy were shattered with Aroden's fall. They've grown notoriously poorer- I wouldn't stoop to such parlor tricks. We make our own fate.
Master Enko, there are two types of conjurers who deal with devils. The first are the weaklings who are enamored with their power and kowtow to them. They're the ones who make deals for greater power in exchange for their souls. Then, there are those of us - like Vheed- who break the spines of the devils and shape them as tools. The taint of evil is always seeping into our plane- for some of us, we believe it is better to know thine enemy and turn them as weapons back against them. The minor devils I summon are fragments of the evil host - no danger of stealing my soul. I turn them back on evil, fighting fire with fire. The day I trade my soul for power is the day that you strike my head from my shoulders like ms. Khazrea here.
I doubt we can return your sanity, or restore your body. What do you want out of this - a gentle death so that your soul returns to the Abyss? To toss your head back into the Abyss itself? Serve us through this venture faithfully, and we we'll grant you release.
"The high-class woman is a fun part to play." Ava says, nodding at Enko. "As for the wayfinder, I can cover whatever costs are required. But in saying that, it may be difficult to find. They're specialty objects made for the pathfinders, aren't they?" She folds her arms, considering the problem.
"Maybe Dellano's heard of, or seen, one. It seems like the kind of curiosity that might end up in his hands. If he hasn't, I can talk to some people and see if there's any on the black markets or smuggling routes."
In response to the Viscount's comments: Sabinus chimes in, thoughtful and without a trace of humor, "I don't think Enko could remove your head with just his hands, but I bet Caladius could do it if it comes to that."
In response to Ava: "I think I may have seen one collecting dust in the corner of one of the shops I frequent, but if not your ideas make sense. The less we need to talk it up around town the better I think. Shall we go?". With that, Sabinus heads to the front door, hoping Enko and Ava follow, anxious to get his hands on a wayfinder.
The disembodied head just looks at Corneleous, anger and hated plain on its face, but it replies in halting common. "Kahzrea will help."
Sabinus turns to Ava (she of the honeyed words and circlet of persuasion), deferring to her experiences buying and selling with Yako, and allowing her to take the lead in extracting the extra information. He will, however, try to aid her in the attempt, adding to whatever she says a comment about, "We'd really appreciate any assistance you can provide in locating one. Yako says that you have a real sense for where to find interesting items. And you know I've been a good customer, and I'm sure in the future I'll have some items I need to dispose of myself, which is always financially advantageous on your end..."
The first store owner looks very affronted and huffy at Sabinus's words, claiming to not know anything that'd help the search. The second store owner Sabinus and Ava visit, however, looks at Sabinus for several long moments, finally ducking his head as if deciding something. He leans close and waves Sabinus closer. "Go to the corner of Ivory and Lanton, there's an alley right to the west. Look for a tall thin man with a floppy hat. He might be able to assist you in your search... for a fee."
The man at the new location hears your proposition and raises a finger to his lips, whistling sharply. A small, dirty boy runs down the other end of the alley to stand before him, breathing hard. After a whispered conversation the boy runs away again, and is gone for nearly five minutes. But he does return eventually and hands the thin man an object wrapped in a dirty rag, which is revealed to be a wayfinder. "Normally 500gp plus me normal fee, but since you's friends with the Vixen, it's yours fer an even 500gp. Deal?"
As the group splits up to make ready for a trip to the Cove, Caladius spends the time gathering his things and preparing himself for the field trip.
"May we examine it?" says Enko.
The man, who has avoided giving you his name, hands over the wayfinder without preamble.
Sabinus eagerly receives the wayfinder and looks it over.
By all indications and Sabinus's own appraisal, the item seems authentic.
Sabinus turns to Enko: "It appears to be authentic. If you're agreeable, please pay the man the 500 gp, and let's be off." Turning to the man, Sabinus gives him a quick nod and says, "Thanks to you. I'll give your regards to The Vixen."
Enko and Ava notice a confidence and sense of purpose in Sabinus's conduct during this shopping excursion that they hadn't really seen before (although, in retrospect, it started to emerge after Sabinus opened the crux and uncovered the code to the poem). Nevertheless, his ticks and awkwardness manifest themselves again when the topic strays from Delvehaven, the wayfinder, and the planned excursion to the cove.
Enko pays for the Wayfinder and they depart. He does his best to steer the conversation back to the Cove and Delvehaven, and makes polite inquiries regarding a Wayfinder's function.
Lucon cleans the dust from his breastplate, listening intently as the others relate the details of their exhibition to him.
"The... The Vixen?" Lucon mumbles, pulling a face. "Don't let the neighbors hear about me cavorting with any Vixen..." he says, smiling at his reflection in the polished steel. Donning his gauntlets and his heavy surcoat, Lucon looks almost ready to storm a castle, and is likely to draw unwanted attention from the dotarri.
Sabinus briefly arranges his things and announces himself ready, rather less impressive in appearance than Lucon. Tycho is once again in a small cage hanging from Sabinus' waist, and Sabinus fiddles with the wayfinder as he waits for everyone to be ready to go.
With the wayfinder in hand the group rents water-based transport and heads to the Northeast shore of Wart Rock, as instructed by the cypher. There they wait till nightfall, as the Wave Door is only accessible at night, if the poem isn't leading you astray. The poem has stated the wave door is approximately 300 feet northeast of this beach.
"I can't see any sign of it." Ava says, peering out from over the boat's edge. "Caladius, any idea?"
Caladius pauses in his rowing and looks around the area as he lets the waves push the boat around, his eyes narrowing in focus.
"No, I don't see anything. What am I even looking for, a door in the water?"
Nearly twenty minutes go by, with the boats tracking back and forth over the waves, the single wayfinders light swinging this way and that in the darkness. But nothing appears after you search the area. You determine you must have missed it, and needs to go back through the area for another search.
"Hmpf. This second pass is even less revealing than the first. We're wasting our time."
"Are you sure we've got the right place?" Ava calls out. "I'm not seeing anything at all."
Lucon takes the oars of the second boat, taking the precaution of tying a line around his waist and securing it to the boat. A little nervous at first, he settles into a rhythm and seems to be rather enjoying himself.
"Look there!" he says, peering over the side of the boat and squinting. "Sabinus, your eyes are sharper than mine. Do you see anything?"
"There," says Enko, pointing from the forward thwart of Lucon's boat. "I see some sort of glow, circular, just above the water. Perhaps as large as a person is tall, or so."
As the doorway becomes clear, thanks to the efforts of the entire group, five undead shadows surge up from the waves, looking for a moment like oily black sheets of water rising up in angry defiance before their true shadowy natures become apparent.
INIT:
Lucon
Enko
Corneleous
Ava
Caladius
Sabinus
Shadows
The shadow in front of Caladius, larger than the others, suddenly rushes at the ranger, swinging an incorporeal hand at him. The hand passes through his defenses and saps the very strength from his muscles.
The four smaller shadows rise up from the depths, surrounding the two boats in a rough circle and barely discernible in the dark of night.
- The Shadows - done
- The Group
The boat lurches somewhat as Lucon stows one of the oars, looking about frantically. "C-come at me, you... You... fiends? Spectres? Er... g-ghosts?" he says, bravado wavering a little as he raises his oar in defiance "Westcrown is about to show you it isn't afraid of the dark!"
Growling at the chill the shadow rakes through his body, Caladius draws his bow as the oars clatter to the floor of the boat. His eyes flash with a purple light as magic suffuses his weapon.
"Call out if you are threatened, Viscount," says the monk smoothly, and steps to the front of the boat next to Caladius. He strikes the shadow, imbuing his strike with divine energy.
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Ava looses Avengen's Edge from its holster, swinging it around in front of her as she readies herself against an attack.