The game will be here!
Feel free to dot or add to newsreaders while we sort out pre-gen selection.
Dotachu!
Hmmm. I'm not taking Harsk.
Eleanor, are you looking more tanky or more damage-y? Because Zadim (Slayer) is pretty damage-y
*peers at the options*
Thinking maybe Seoni(Sorc.), Kyra(Cleric), Oloch(Warpriest), Shardra (Shaman)...
You were all recently contacted by a curious and capable half-orc explorer by the name of Ulisha. Her note explained that in one of her recent "adventures", she discovered an enchaned sickle. After doing some research, she identified it as Silverhex - a weapon forged and used by druids thousands of years ago.
Her note further explained that she had gotten herself into a bit of trouble and that she was looking to part with Silverhex in order to raise funds which she would use to satiate creditors hot on her heels to collect.
As Pathfinders, always interested in procuring ancient treasures for the Society, you arrived at the meeting place to negotiate with Ulisha, but she was nowhere to be found.
Instead, she left her journal behind with another note attached. This one explained that she knew that you would not be able to afford to purchase Silverhex from her... yet.
As a sign of good faith, her journal contained a half-dozen leads to profitable finds of hers as a sign of good faith. She urged you to seek these items, sell them, and with the gold gained, she would trade Silverhex to you. She curiously ommitted why she could not run down these items herself.
The first page in her journal indicated that you would need to travel to Gralton, a large town in the River Kingdoms, where she indicated some sort of "treasure" could be obtained within Lord Laban Tullivor's mausoleum.
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"Fret not, I am here. . . Now, where is that half-orc?" Enora asks scouting around before she notices the journal page.
Enora reads the journal page aloud to her companions:
"The only thing worse than working for a Galtan nobleman is working for two Galtan noblemen ~ in my case. Lords Tullivor and Sarvio, both of whom are happy only when the other is not. I made a tidy sum recovering their heirlooms, but when Lord Tullivor tasked me to steal a platinum chalice belonging to Sarvios, I took my leave (and the cup), and they've been hounding me since. Now Laban's deceased, and it's rumored his mausoleum in Gralton's cemetery harbors a treasure. I hope you'll not balk at tomb-raiding. Remember, these are aristocrats. I say, a plague on both their houses."
Could be worse... I suppose. Amiri says without much joy in her voice.
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A young Keleshite woman has been travelling with you, though she said little and prayed much. Upon hearing the goal of their mission, she sighs slightly.
"When shall the lure of gold lose its grasp on men's hearts? I suppose I will be along for the ride, if only to make sure you don't get killed by a trap or the hungry dead..."
The journey from Absalon to Gralton passes without incident and gives the freshly minted Pathfinders a chance to get to know one another. Farmers and travellers along the way admit surprise that the five of you passed without incident as bandits are known to take what they want from those passing through the River Kingdoms.
As you stroll into Gralton, you recognize it for the bustling city that it is. Enora points out several facts along the journey, notably it's population has boomed to over nine-thousand inhabitants.
Everywhere you can make out displays of nationalism, nobility and affiliations - this "kingdom" built of Galtan refugees clearly not having lost the spirit that fueled the fires of unrest in their former nation.
Resting sounds tempting but raiding is better done at night. Amiri agrees.
A young man comes out of the shadow and clears his throat. "Well, are you that late? I was waiting for your arrival since midday!"
The man strikes his beard, studying the group of Pathfinders and then bows. "But where are my manners! I'm Zadim, Pathfinder like you. Well met. I propose to go straight to... our goal, it is quite the good time for that." he says with a grin.
As you arrive at the bottom of the hill from the cemetary, you all note from the bottom of the hill that the main gate is not only unlocked, but swings in the light breeze passing through the city.
"Well it's pretty unusual for this cemetery to not only be unlocked, but unguarded as it plays host to the nobles of Gralton. As you may know, the mausoleums there hold wealth, including whatever treasures we are seeking. Strange!"
As the five Pathfinders work their way into the cemetary, they observe a body slumped over a small marble pedestal. Fresh blood run from the body along the sides of the pedestal, seeping into the dark soil below.
Enora notices no signs of undeath, but there are clearly signs of mundane death before her.
As Kyra rushes ahead, she can clearly see the man draped over the monument is deceased.
It's hard to tell how he died, but Kyra does make note of a stab wound in the man's side the seems like a piercing blade or some sort.
She'd need to move the body a little, perhaps off the monument that it's perched upon for a better look. At the very least, it's no way to treat a dead body...
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Nora helps Kyra remove the body from the monument, and prepares to face what ever mundane source caused the man's death.
"Zadim, is there any sign of where our merry murderer may have fled? Perhaps he is lurking about still, or waiting to ambush us in the mausoleum. Either way, I would like to know if there is an evil-doer about."
Seems somebody beat us to it. Is the corpse the cemetery's guard? Amiri says while checking the area for tracks.
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"Let's have a closer look. Amiri, can you help me bring it down? We need to give this man proper burial."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Zadim checks for anything lurking in the shadows in the area, moving stealthly to the middle of the cemetery.
"oh! Thanks!" whispers back Zadim.
Kyra, ever dutiful, advances to the body and with Amiri's help she pulls him from the monument that he body appears to have been thrust upon.
As they gently place the corpse of a young noble man upon the ground, they recognize the monument from which they lifted him was actually the bust of a man.
The bust suddenly animates, speaking aloud After saying this one phrase, the cemetary once again falls silent.
Kyra, examining the body, tries to puzzle out the cause of death. There's some sort of wound in his gut and his face is very badly scratched, but she's not able to put the pieces together about what happened. Maybe he was clubbed? Is that a lump on his skull or something else?
Kyra and Amiri also take note of the badger emblem on the man's belt.
As Shardra scans the area, she realizes they are actually standing before the mausoleum of Lord Tullivor (indicated as his name is etched in stone above the heavy door) -- which was their intended destination and the location where Ulisha believed the treasure to be recovered was secured.
They also observe than the face of the bust seems to be of the late Lord Tullivor and bears striking resemblances to the murdered body before them - not quite the same person, but related.
Amiri recognizes that there are in fact two sets of fresh footprints in the area around the bust, where some form of struggle took place. One set of prints appears to belong the dead young man and another to a slightly lighter individual. The second individual's prints seem to head towards the gate where they join a set of hoof prints and meander off towards another nearby mausoleum .
Looking at the floor Amiri says: I see two sets of fresh footprints, there were some struggle. One of the footprints is from him. She points to the dead young man. The other from someone lighter. The second prints head towards the gate where they join a set of hoof prints and meander off towards that mausoleum .
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"Last sun/son/song.. Seems to indicate maybe blood... sounds like someone set that message to coincide with the death of the poor guy. If there's footprints heading to the other mausoleum, let's check them out first, if it turns out they aren't important, we can always come back to the other one, right?"
Shardra starts moving towards B.
Amiri walks with Shardra to the other mausoleum.
Just as you begin to head towards the second museum, you can make out the name above its entrance as well.
SARVIO.
With a clip clop, a woman of noble bearing emerges from nearby the Savrio mausoleum atop a well-bred horse. She trots ahead as her horse whinnies and she addresses Shardra and M's.
"Whoa, Zephyr! Easy boy..."
As her horse settles down, she gestures towards the Tullivor mausoleum.
"Is there trouble here? I heard several voices..."
As the woman continues, Enora shrieks and a wave of brilliant light washes over the woman and her horse. The horse begins to rear up in panic as both he and rider collapse to the ground.
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"Would you believe me if I said I thought she was the murderer? Honestly, she just caught me off guard, and I admit I am a little on edge in a cemetery with murders not involving undead. When it is an undead, it is mindless and cold. This was cruel and deliberate. Sun or Son do you suppose? I bet they killed this man as a Son. Nothing looks out of place, so I would think the riddle meant Sun. Sad fate for a young man."
As the young noblewoman regains her senses, she flagly accepts Shardra and Kyra's help to free herself of her unconscious steed.
"Oh dear, Zephyr..?!"
She clenches her fists and takes a few steps towards Enora, only pausing as Kyra and Shardra seem to intervene.
"What have YOU done? Don't you know who I am?! The guards would have your head for this attack... "
She pauses for a moment, sizing up the assorted "adventuring" gear you all carry.
"Wait -- what are you doing here? Here in front of this mausoleum?"
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Kyra addresses the woman in an apologetic tone. "We are truly sorry for our behavior, Ma'am. My good friend Enora here thought you were the one who did this." Kyra points the body. "We obviously can see that you didn't. Yet we do not know you, and I feel introductions are in order. I am Kyra, servant of the Dawnflower and agent of the Pathfinder Society. What about you?"
Be carefull Kyra, this women probably killed that young man over there. Amiri says after Enora's spell while moving to the fallen women. She searches her and removes any weapons she finds.
Seing the woman stunned, Zadim moves silently and hides behind the statue in case trouble starts. He studies the woman as well.
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"We were in the area and noticed some things didn't look right. You know how it is when a group of adventurers see things that don't look right?"
Shardra's still attempting to keep things a bit diplomatic, though admittedly everyone is on edge at the moment. Her tone is even, non-accusatory, and respectful.
As the woman collapses to the ground, Zadim observes the situation while Amiri rushes up and begins patting the woman's pockets in search of something...