"You found it! Thats simply amazing! I can't wait to hear it better yet, read the story if your adventures. I assume you will publish your chronicles immediately! "
She listens intently to your story, Canayven joining you and interrupts only once and that is to ask questions about the Sihedron Shrine and have Andel clarify his drawings.
"Amazing, there is so much we will have to study here.". She looks up at you, her smile receding a bit as she states seriously, "But more importantly, I believe it's time to discern the location of the next Shard. Shall we?"
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Galen cleans up as best he can wishing he had a finer set of clothes to change into. He eyes the fine jewelry Sheila wears when she shows up and is enviously as he blushes at his own poor attire. Embarrassed, he moves to the back of the group and allows others to speak.
"Important yes, but we need to make sure we're ready before we delve into another expedition," Braelex replies. "It's clear that Relan is being adversely affected by the shard. We need to ensure he gets the right ioun stone to counter its influence," Braelex adds, eyeing Relan with a concerned frown.
You spend your time recuperating and outfitting for an expedition in Magnimaar, until Sheila's suggestions begin to be more urgent and as a group, you decide you're ready to proceed.
Getting an audience with Sheila is fairly simple, given she drops nearly every appointment to meet with you who are pursuing her life's work.
"Now, Relan, as before ... hold the shard and concentrate on finding the next one, the Shard of Lust!"
aloft a stone scepter, standing atop a bluff surrounded by a tangled seaside swampland. This site seems familiar to you. [ooc(Make a Knowledge geography check with a +2 to the roll. Alternatively you can describe it to someone else and they can make the roll without the +2 although others could use aid other
Relan thinks on the vision and then describes it to his fellows. I see a towering statue of a beautiful woman holding aloft a stone scepter. She is standing atop a bluff surrounded by a tangled seaside swampland. It seems familiar to me but I am having a hard time placing it.
The image of the 200-foot-tall statue is one known to many, but the monument itself is relatively mysterious.
Is Andel still with us? If so, he make a roll.
"The Lady's Light... not an easy road to get there." Braelex muses.
Relan thinks back on the what all they have found and recommends to the party. We have rescued some of the kidnapped persons and I believe we should see the mayor for our reward for this. Also Andel has added many notes into his journal on that may be of interest to Lord Heidmarch. I believe we have learned a few new thinks about the Thasillonians and their artifacts.
"The Mushfens ... hmm, yes. Nasty swamp ... waterways cutting this way and that. Goblins living in the north, but closer to the Ladys Cape ... That's the area around the Ladys Light ... you'll start seeing other more native creatures. Lizardmen and frogmen and the like."
He steeples his fingers undr his chin. "There is a guy in Magnimaar who is an expert on the Mushfens. Has traveled them most of his adult life. Jasper Kandamerus."
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"Jasper is around, but you may need to be cautious with him. He's not 'all there', and it may take some work to get him in a lucid moment", Sheila interjects
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"We seem to specialize in dealing with misfits and the insane," Braelex adds with a grin. "We can find him and visit the mayor's office on the way, perhaps?."
"It sounds like we'll need to secure passage on a ship if we're going to the Mushfens. I for one don't want to risk an overland route through the swamps. Let's see what our Mushfens expert has to say."
Vuloo leads the way to visit Jasper.
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Ensuring all the prisoners are free on the way out...
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"I shall secure passage for you on a ship, then, while you tend to the mayor and Jasper."
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Andel leads you down to Rag's End near Beacon Point, and after a couple of stops at a few taverns and a couple quick coin exchanges and the archivist leads you to a street corner near a collection of beggars and prostitutes.
You hear the man long before you see him.
“Woe! Woe unto thee, O Magnimar, for oblivion approaches and thy lamentations shall drown out the sounds of the sea! The Great Whore straddles a two-headed beast and rides this way, sowing the contaminated seeds of her blasphemies as she draws nearer. Weep! Weep, O Generation of the Damned, for none shall escape the pitiless scythe of oblivion. Heed my warning and turn to Groetus! Grasp this mortal hand I offer and we shall march into the void together!”
You eventually come upon him, wild-eyed, blond with a beard that hasn't been trimmed in months. He carries a ferocious-looking 2-headed flail which he waves about as he preaches. He sees you approach and stares directly at you, wild-eyed, “Behold! The Blessed Ushers of the End Times! The Holy Escorts of Oblivion! Soldiers of the Void, champions of mighty Groetus himself!”
At the same time, three men separate from the crowd and move towards Jasper. Each of these ruffians is clad in cracked leather armor and wields a stout club. Their lips and the corners of their mouths are stained black.
“Oi!” shouts one of them. “You filthy beggar! We’ve had jus’ about enough of your mad racket, scarin’ honest merchants, frightenin’ away customers with your gloomy twaddle!” He and his two companions immediately raise their clubs.
You approach the Venture-Captain's husband and fellow senior Pathinder with your sketches from your journal.
A quick swing through the mayor's office turns into a monotony of waiting and red tape ... bureaucrat after bureaucrat, until one of them realizes that you actually might have information on the kidnappings and you are shown in to see the Lord Mayor's senior steward.
"So, I hear the Pathfinder Society as figured out AND stopped the kidnappings? Pray tell, what was the source and how did you do it?"
Vuloo raises his hands and steps between Jasper and the ruffians, "Gentlemen, I apologize for any inconvenience that Mr. Kandamerus may have caused. We will work with him to find a better place to proselytize. I assure you there will be no further disruption to your business."
He pulls Jasper aside and whispers, "Let's talk in private."
"Oi, slip, ya fine talk not gonna be gettin' ya anywhere. Ya have a stink of da "too good" fer our likes about ya," the ruffian eyes Vuloo but keeps moving toward Jasper.
Relan moves to intercept the leader of the group knocking him from his feat and onto his ass while beginning combat expertise. Perhaps you did not hear my friend. There is no fight here. If you push further you must first push by me. He stands ready, his blade pointed at the group.
Relan throws the butt of his polearn twixt the thug's legs sending him sprawling awkwardly to a titter of laughter from the gathering crowd. His two cronies bow up and move forward, but shy back as Relan's blade flashes.
The thug on the ground begins to stand.
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As the thug stands up Relan disarms him, sending the cudgel to the group.
If you pick that up I will run you through. he states flatly with no hint of bluff in his voice.
Braelex grins, watching the show with her crossbow held ready.
Fulmen steps in between Jasper and thugs backing up Relan.
"We found the kidnaped people while exploring under the Crow. They were being held by derro and were being brainwashed and used in rituals. We encountered the group doing the kidnappings after overhearing their plans to kidnap more citizens. We battled and killed them, but I believe they were working for someone else. I'm not sure we ever found out who." Fulmen looks around at his friends for help filling in the details.
Relan smacks the thug's wrist as he stands sending his club flying. The man glances at the warrior angrily, but his two companions turn and flee. The man quickly loses his bluster and follows them.
The crowd nearby bursts into laughter and applause, a couple coming by to congratulate Relan. A few, however, scowl or spit as they resume their begging or peddling as the case may be.
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Relan watches the men retreat for a moment before turning the the street preacher. Those three meant you harm. Do you know why?
Clenching his flail tightly, Jasper's eyes do not focus on Relan as he approaches and he stares through him babbling in tongues but the words "Groeteus" and "Doomsday Door" cut through from time to time.
He clearly is not hearing Relan.
Vuloo attempts to lead Jasper back to lucidity, "Focus Jasper. We've come to talk to you about the Mushfens, not Groeteus. Sheila Heidmarch says you're an expert. Will you talk to us?"
Vuloo's calming demeanor and friendly manner slow the priest down, but once he mentions the Mushfens, the man finally focuses on the little halfling and smiles and then looks at Relan, speaking with sudden seeming lucidity "Thank you, friend, for intervening. I'm afraid they probably would've hurt me ... although I'm not entirely certain why. But you asked about the Mushfens. I have spent quite a bit of time, months even, in the southwestern portion of the Mushfens, near the Lady's Cape seeking something of interest to me."
The steward looks up at you over his glasses tiredly from a desk full of papers. He rubs his temple with ink-stained fingers.
"So you're saying that you found the source of the kidnappings, but aren't sure if there is someone else responsible? If that's the case, I can reward you for the people you returned, but if the threat is still out there, I cannot offer you a reward for ending the kidnappings until you can confirm the chain is ended."
"The chain is ended," Braelex injects. "They are all dead."
"Hmm, now. Are you just saying that because I said there was no reward? Who was this "other" entity these derro you overheard were working for?"
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Vuloo smiles reassuringly, "Jasper, we seek the Lady's Light. We need an experienced guide to lead us through the Mushfens. Would you be willing to come work for us?"
"A guide through the Mushfens ... I think ... I think the prophecy would want me to do that ... obviously a sign the end times are near if Groteus is calling upon his prophet to play in the workings of man. I shall accompany you then. How shall we travel?"
The derro are all dead. We also found the place they come up from the underdark. It is a very deep pit. I recommend it be filled in either magically or manually. We can provide you a map to it and have sketched it in our journal. I believe it too dangerous to have such a passage to the surface within the city. I do not know if these derro served someone else, but doubt it. It seems to me that that someone would have had to come from the underdark themselves to have such contacts. The derro seemed to have the motivation within themselves as they desire both slaves and subjects for their macabre experiments. So fill in that pit and then I believe there will be no more kidnappings. We have done you a great service. Give us the reward you think we have earned and we will be on our way.
Unless counseled by the others not to do so Relan shows Canyaven Heidmarch the party's journal and tells the man everything they have learned at the level of detail of his interest. He knows of no reason to hide anything from this man.
The steward listens intently as Relan speaks asking questions here and there to fill in gaps in his understanding. Once Relan is complete, he rings a small bell and two large, well-armed men come in carrying a large coffer.
They set the coffer on the stewards desk, who opens it with a key he pulls from a drawer. It opens out into several silk-lined shelves loaded with row upon row of.platinum. The steward pulls a set of calipers from the same drawer and stares intently at them as he adjusts them. He then uses them to pull out several equal stacks of platinum and transfers them to a smaller.coffer he removed from the bottom of the larger one.
He frowns for a moment, and readjusts the calipers muttering, "50 for guard hazard pay to finish clearing and 5 for stone and mortar ... plus 5 to bribe the mites."
He looks up smiling, "The Lord Mayor thanks you for your service."
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Relax goes to the monument of the Eyes of the Hawk in the Dockway and Study the monument’s complex carvings for 10 minutes.
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I think we're going by boat with Jasper for a guide. What other NPC do we need to decide on?
As for Canayven, I think Relan was looking back. I don't recall anything that stood out.
The only thing I could think of for Canayven is the last room we fought in. With the domed ceiling and fancy mural. Further up the dungeon we discovered an underwater observatory and a lone statue.
I think we're going by boat with Jasper for a guide. What other NPC do we need to decide on? As for Canayven, I think Relan was looking back. I don't recall anything that stood out.
Choosing between Andel and Jasper ...
The Sihedron Shrine and the lone magical statue (where Relan got his ranseur) are 2 of the 3. Nets you 500 gold pieces each. 1 left (that you have info on .... May be a bit obscure for you since I don't recall if anyone actually made the knowledge check in that particular room).
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Vuloo frowns at Jasper's ravings, "Jasper, what can you tell us about the Lady's Light? What do you know of it's history? What creatures inhabit the Mushfens in that area? What dangers should we be wary of? What provisions do you recommend that we bring?"
"It's been some time since I've been there, so you should get a sense of the current events. To do so, you should seek out the witch Maroux. I have directions and can mark them on your map. I warn you, she’s somewhat easily angered by trespassers. As you approach
her hut, you should call out to her, “Greetings, Lady Maroux—Jasper sent us to you. We seek your advice!” He mimics how he thinks this should go down.
"Also, offer help to the woman, since she’s always got little tasks she wants done but lacks the motivation or courage to attempt
these tasks herself, but don't tell her I said that."
He draws some notes and scraps on a piece of paper, presenting you with a map.
"As far as creatures go, the Lady’s Cape is home to numerous monsters,
but none more fecund than the troglodyte and boggard tribes. These two tribes have long bickered, and you may be able to use that to your advantage, given the right circumstances."