Shaking the box, moving it from one face to another (since it has no obvious top), and listening at the box's sides provide no clues to its contents.
Koriah's notes are an invaluable resource for anyone who wishes to avoid using force to open the box. The scroll lists translations of the significant runes on the box-one of the most oft-repeated symbols was the rune for "wrath," which Koriah also notes is associated with evocation magic, and in the earliest days of Thassilon with the word "kindness." Her notes indicate that this rune merely marks the box has having once belonged to a citizen of the Thassilonian nation of Bakrakhan, and
that the rune likely has little to do with the method of opening this particular paradox box. Another of Koriah's scrolls lists a few other key
observations-the key observation being that five of the box's faces are identical, but on one face, several additional runes appear. These runes spell out the word "CRUEL." Koriah has deduced that this word is somehow
linked to the box's mystery. She's also noted that each of the individual runes in the word can be reorganized by touching two runes at once-doing so causes the two touched runes to exchange places for an hour before
reverting to their original spelling of"CRUEL."
Hmm, the letters of this ancient Thassilonian word are movable. Perhaps we are dealing with an anagram.
Nalun begins scribbling furious on a notepad he produced. He also removes a book he "procured" from the library in Sandpoint. The book's title is "Pathfinders, Paranoia and other Preposterity".
Nalun that seems like a very reasonable assumption.
CRUEL
RULEC
ULECR
LUCRE?? I'm pretty sure this is a real word.
LERUC
ERUCL
CLURE???
That's IT you move the runes to make the word LUCRE.
The box slowly starts to unfold as a flash of light nearly blinds you. Before you regain your sight you hear giggling coming from 2 tiny creatures.
These creatures look likeThis
The 2 gremlins do not bother attacking you they just turn and start causing as much destruction to Shelia's personal effects as possible.
These creatures have an unluck aura anytime you roll a d20 roll 2 instead and take the lower result. Try to kill them before they cause too much damage and make you look bad!
Not really sure about targeting here but Nalun will Daze one of the Pugwampi's Will Save DC 14 or its loses its actions for the round.
Those blaggards are destroying books!
Kierra giggles at the absurdity of the surprise. But when she sees the destruction that they are causing she immediately tries to subdue them!
Yorn's power attack misses and cleaves a bookshelf in Half!
The pugwampi is not affected by the daze.
Kierra also misses and her touch of Electricity goes wild and hits a Globe of the world sitting in a corner!
Nalun shouts at Yorn Be careful with the books!
Mark and Shalee still have actions in round 1. Not that it is much of a combat.
You can post for Round 2 if you like after so much stuff is destroyed Shelia will come back and help handle it.
Shalee whips her sword out and deftly shows strikes that could have killed the things ..."Enough!" she shouts.
Stop all this! Watch out for the books!
Nalun dazes again Will DC 14.
Not trusting his battleaxe to not destroy everything around him, Mark instead opts for a grapple attempt, and orders Maggie to do the same.
Shalee frightens the creatures with her display enough for Mark and Maggie to easily grapple the creatures.
After that it is a simple matter to dispose of them and they disappear to wherever they came from.
Damages=One Globe and A bookshelf the books are mostly undamaged.
Sheila comes back in the room and sees the damages. She is not angry just confused.
I heard some noise...What in the world happened here?!
"There were.....creatures. I'm sorry for the damages, they were horrible little monstrosities."
They were evil fey creatures known as Pugwampi. I've read about their kind in "Ferocious Feral Fey" by the august Pathfinder Solomon Kane.
Ah. Pugwampi well that explains it. The aura of unluck they cast will throw many a seasoned warriors swing wild. Thank you for taking care of them. The damages are not severe nor are they important.
First, allow me to apologize for that unpleasantness regarding the gremlins-but it does provide an excellent object lesson. The life of an adventure is not one for the weak-hearted. That you not only took care of the gremlins but also got the box open in the first place is all the confirmation I need that my gut was right-you’re the perfect group for the job I have in mind.
You see-I’ve recently had trouble with one of my informants here in Magnimar, Natalya Vancaskerkin. She’s a half-Varisian who recently approached the Pathfinder Society with an offer to serve as a street informant. She runs with the Sczarni-I’m not sure with which group. A week ago, Natalya sent me a cryptic hint that her gang was on the verge of uncovering an item that would be of great interest to the Society. Since the Sczarnis’ methods of uncovering something often involves an armed robbery or breaking into somebody’s personal chambers, we thought it prudent not to press for further details and instead wait to see what it would produce. Suffice it to say, she hinted strongly that it pertained to Thassilon, and promised to meet with me to discuss this find three days ago.
She never kept that promise-instead, she seems to have simply vanished. Initially, I assumed that the acquisition of this item was simply taking longer than expected, but now I’m hearing rumors that the Sczarni are looking for her as well.
It seems likely that Natalya has absconded with this item she’s discovered. And this is where you enter, my friends. I want to know what it was that Natalya and the Sczarni found. In fact, I’m more interested in that than in what happened to Natalya herself. For now, I’d like to keep all of this quiet-if you can find out what happened to Natalya without letting a lot of people know she was also working for me as an informant, that would be preferable-that’s a big part of why I’m coming to you, as new members of the Pathfinder Society, with this task. You don’t yet have a reputation in Magnimar, and as such, the lowlifes and criminals you are likely to encounter may be more likely to talk.
So...Go out there and look for Natalya. Find out what happened to her, and to this item she and her gang discovered. If you can secure the item, all the better-bring it back to me and I’ll have a reward of 500 gold pieces for you. And if you can bring Natalya back alive for me to speak to, I’ll double that!
When you have time you look into the box and see that it is mostly empty-it contains three garnets worth 50 gp each, a masterwork silver dagger, and a ring of feather falling. Sheila allows the group to keep these
treasures as payment for the unexpected confrontation with the pugwampis, but wants to keep the paradox box herself.
Humm, Yorn this situation seems in your area of expertise. I may have read something about the Sczarni though...
The Sczarni have been a part of Magnimar from the start-they're not the most dangerous or powerful of the city's criminal organizations, but they are the most visible. The Sczarni generally don't involve themselves in particularly violent crimes, and in many cases in Magnimar, they actually help to protect and police less fortunate neighborhoods, and as such are often well regarded by the lower-class. There are six major Sczarni gangs in the city: the Creepers, Doolun's Lads, the Gallowed, the Tower Girls, the Washside Wringers, and the Wreckwash Blades, with the Gallowed being the most powerful Sczarni family in the city.
So Sczarni is just the name of this group of gangs.
When Natalya initially approached Sheila with the offer
of serving the Pathfinders as an informant, she engaged
the aid of a man known as the Amazing Zograthy, a
Varisian who keeps a permanent tent and fortune-telling
business in Washers' Row in Dockway-specifically, at
the end of a narrow alley that serves as a permanent street
fair. A DC 14 Knowledge (local) check is enough for a PC
to know that the Amazing Zograthy often works as a sort
of middle-man between Sczarni and outsiders, but he
expects gold in payment for his services.
Sheila has little more information for the PCs,
unfortunately-there are rumors of Nidalese slavers
prowling the streets of late, and if these are true, being
abducted by a slaver in the middle of the night would
certainly explain Natalya's absence. She might even have
been picked up by the city guard for some reason, in which
case a visit to the Arvensoar, the garrison for the city's
watch, might yield some clues. Beyond this, she can offer
nothing but wishes for luck.
So not to railroad you but that gives you 3 leads. The amazing Zograthy located on the west side of the city near washers row. Nidaliese slavers you will just have to ask around about this. Or going to the guards at the Arvensoar in the southern part of the city near Lowcleft and Naos.
"I don't trust anyone who names themselves 'amazing'," Mark says somberly, thinking back to the circus that once visited Kassen so long ago. "I vote we check up with the guards at Arvensoar - at least they're being paid to be there, so they might keep their eyes open to what happened."
"So in your efforts to find the bad kids you're going to talk to the hall monitors? Think, Mark. Maybe some of us should talk to the guards but if we're to be trusted with information we can't be snitches. Snitches get stitches and end up in ditches." Shalee looks to Yorn for confirmation.
"I think that would be wise Mark. I feel like we could trust the guards more..."
Kierra shifts uncomfortably, while leaning against a nearby table.
Whole gangs of thieves? Joining together into huge criminal organizations? What in the world have you gotten yourself into Kierra. This isn't some mangy backwater crypt. Best to be extra careful now."
"Whoever we talk to, we should be very cautious. I feel that this city may not care much for our safety."
Mark frowns at Shalee. "I'm no snitch. I just..." he coughs. "I don't know if you ladies should be dealing with those Nidaliese. They aren't famous for their respect for women, are they?" He's blushing furiously by the end of his sentence.
"I'm not one of their girls. They haven't met a girl like me yet. They'll respect me and like it, or they can loose some body parts. I'm just saying there's no way we should be seen talking to these guards. Nothing'll make everyone else clam up quicker."
Mark nods and falls silent.
Shalee looks at Mark and softens. "Mark, I don't really think you're a snitch. I'm just saying ...we don't have to be afraid of these people. You shouldn't be afraid of anything, with that giant sword phallus!" she winks.
Mark bares his teeth in a quick smile at Shalee's joke, and kneels, focusing his attention on scratching the top of Maggie's large head.
You never made it clear which of the leads you are going to check on first.
Mark will follow along with the will of the group.
Its a long walk to this part of town but you have been here for over a month now so you know your way around by now.
Washers' Row is a tangle of open-air washhouses,launderers, and Varisian wagons and tents-while the bulk of those who live and toil here do so in the laundry and tailoring industries, there are some who practice other
trades, such as the Amazing Zograthy.
DC 15 Knowledge (local)
At the soughern end of Washers' Row, a tattered banner hanging over the entrance to the small side street advertises "Professor Callivario's Stupendous Exhibition of the Outrageous and Sublime." Beyonnd this overly exuberant advertisement is a squalid set up consisting of little more than a series of run down side show booths and carts with assorted games and amusements of the meaner sort. To one side, urchins pitch pennies at lily pads floating in a small, scum-covered fountain while a bored carnie looks on. Nearby, the sound of cats hissing and fighting arises from behind a cart where a small crowd of ne'er-do-wells has gathered to cheer and place bets.
Everywhere lurk faces pinched with suspicion or hungery expressions worn by carnival workers and visitors alike. This is not the sort of place to be careless with a coin pouch.
"Zograthy it is then....I guess."
Humm, this place is well known for its gang affiliations. The Washside Wringers if I recall.
Maggie begins to grow more and more distressed as you all reach the "stupendous exhibition." Mark is wearing a frown that grows grimmer by the minute.
"Eyes front, girl. We'll be out of this soon," you hear him murmur to the big cat, reassuringly. He casts his eyes about him suspiciously.
Maggie also looks around fearfully -