Iskender will query the wise men about the history of the place? Empire? The portals? How the ships work? About the assimilation strain, and anything else he can get from them. As a Bard, I’m at least +8 in all Knowledges, more in a couple of them.
Can I check out some books, to maybe tote them with us? Or at least take copious notes?
From the monks and their libraries, you acquire all sorts of infodumped setting background information!
History of the Universe: Untold eons ago, two ancient interstellar civilizations engaged in an endless war which raged across the multiverse. One side of this conflict—known as the Patrons—favored good, while the other—known only as the Principalities—exulted in evil. Both made extensive use of a network of interplanetary gates to traverse the immeasurable gulfs between worlds. And, as the millennia unfolded, they each became progenitors to a variety of client species—whether uplifted, engineered, or secretly fostered through patient evolution—each one encouraged to take up and embrace their benefactor’s ideals. The ancient war proved neverending, but, in time, the Patrons came to the inevitable conclusion that they couldn’t win. So, they made a fateful decision—sacrificing themselves to lock away the Principalities in an interdimensional prison and buy time for their scions to rise up, find their own footing among the multiverse, and win the war they never could.
But what about today?: The Ultari Hegemony represents the dark forces of the multiverse—a powerhouse coalition steeped in the hatred and pain of the Principalities. Meanwhile, the good races of the Bellianic Accord stand opposed to the Hegemony, still clinging to the sheltered Patron worlds their enemies have yet to discover or dominate.
What is the Assimilation Strain?: A virus customized per species by the jagladine on behalf of the Ultari Hegemony for the purpose of conquest: transforming natives of conquered worlds into an occupying force. The conversion protocol begins with a creature’s infection, typically by a virus referred to as an assimilation strain, which introduces nanites to remap a victim’s brain patterns and overall psychology, predisposing them towards evil.
What about this particular planet?: Argosa represents a rare hub world, which means it supports multiple gates to other planets and holds tremendous value as a vibrant nexus of trade and transportation. Argosa’s unusual abundance of interplanetary gates traces back to a time before living memory, when more ancient cultures shaped its future. Scholars and archaeologists have surmised that life nearly disappeared on Argosa millions of years ago, presumably in the aftermath of the ancient wars that raged between the Patrons and their evil counterparts, the Principalities. The gates were among the few structures to survive that time, proving almost indestructible despite the forces unleashed around them, or the erosion of time. Given eons to recover, Argosa eventually healed, and many of the now native inhabitants believe the Patrons evolved their race to survive the conflict, making them the inheritors of everything left behind.
The many gates created by the Patrons and the Principalities present a complex network referred to on most worlds as "The Weave." The gates often connect to the next closest gate, but countless factors come into play when the entire network is examined. Planetary rotation, gravity wells, and other cosmological and even magical forces govern where, when, and how far the gates can open. For example, some may only function under specific conditions, such as an eclipse or certain planetary alignments. And others may require certain keys, knowledge, or intrinsic qualities in those attempting to access them.
Gates vary in functionality and external appearance, but adhere to some common elements. They universally accommodate a creature of Large size or smaller, though some are considerably larger giving rise to rumors of titans striding between worlds. They’re almost always found where humanoid creatures dwell, either in the present or the ancient past. The Patrons and the Principalities created various species with a basic humanoid design in mind, believing it to be the perfect form for interacting with the unique environments of the multiverse. Gates may have singular or multiple connection points, although many are also fixed and unchanging. The actual entrance to a gate is always circular, whether perfectly round or oval or partially buried as an arc. All apparently operate in sync with the orbit of their homeworld around its given star, tapping into the gravity wells of this relationship to power and extend its reach to other solar systems and galaxies. Each gate is a minor artifact and physically indestructible—with one caveat. They can be rendered inoperable, but the method required to sabotage a gate is a closely guarded secret within the Bellianic Accord—the biological descendants of the ancient Patrons. Once sabotaged, a gate is rendered inoperable even if it remains indestructible, making them a precious resource to all who use them.
Beyond those basic qualities, gates vary greatly in function and outward appearance. A vertical upright metal ring is a common configuration, but numerous other gates have been found created from stone and set into ground. Some permit two-way traffic, while others are strictly one-way. Some gates are consistent and reliable, while others prove temperamental and fail from time to time. A few even require certain conditions to be met before they can open, such as a full moon, an eclipse, or a clear night to better read the heavens. A temperamental gate is often “ignited” with some form of intense energy to better stabilize it. Select gates even alter those who pass through them to acclimatize them to their destination. Stories also circulate that certain "chosen" individuals manifest amazing abilities upon arrival on other worlds, a morphic manifestation which changes each and every time they pass through a gate.
The placement of gates often defy reason, but the time since their creation spans thousands of years and no extant species fully understands the secrets of their manufacture or the mystery behind their operation. Elder races realize there may once have been a context to their arrangement which no longer exists or became altered due to planetary upheaval, orbital changes, or the rise and fall of various civilizations tasked with maintaining them. As a result, the Gateway City of Zel-Argose is a mystery unto itself, and the many portals among its ruins may lead to more Patron enclaves where answers can be found and then applied to reaching even more worlds among the Weave of the multiverse.
Dilwyn almost as fascinated by Min at ruins of the massive structure piercing the sky, and even more so by the airships tethered to it. Such an idea is revolutionary to him, to be able to get so high and stay there without effort... incredible.
While at the library, Dilwyn would try to research as much of the native fauna as he can. He's especially interested in native avian life. Since he's recently discovered himself to have some shape shifting capability, he'd like to be able to blend in if he wants to.
[dice=Knowledge Nature]1d20+9
Unfortunately, the swimming words mostly just give him a headache.
You find some monks who are well-versed on the environment of the planet and give you a brief run down. While very Golarion-like in size, gravity, and length of day, Argosa still has its own unique, physical identity. Two major continents comprise its livable surface, excluding various island chains. A large portion remains covered by ocean, and rising sea levels have covered some of the coastal ruins once belonging to the Patrons. The planet’s climate and terrain also vary, with thick jungle and forested shores giving way to an inner desert claiming most landlocked areas. Sustainable soil exists primarily near sources of frequent irrigation, such as rivers and the few remaining swamps along the coastland. Scientists among the elder races surmise the interior desert results from an ongoing ecological weapon detonated long ago during the ancient conflict—one which has lost potency over the intervening years.
One monk digs out a particular volume for you, with a title that roughly translates to "Birds and Other Be-flighted Creatures of Argosa". While your headaches are challenging, you discover all manner of flying animals - birds and reptiles both - that call this planet home. Of some interest is the section on the interior desert, in which horribly mutated species still thrive, including a two-headed variety of vulture that grows larger than a man.
Kit listens to all that the monks have to saw and still can't wrap his mind around it. As an explorer and guide he was always keen to discover new places-but new worlds was a different matter entirely.
Brothers, thank you for all of this information and I hope to return at some point and tell you more of my..uh..home world. We also seek one called Lomrick who might be one of these...what did you call them again? Jagladine? If he was here on..Agrosa? Where would he likely be?
Iskender shares all with the group.
Hilde seems interested when the possibility of returning to their home planet is discussed.
Dilwyn, grateful for the monks' help, is utterly fascinated by the riot of strange wildlife. This really is a wholly different world from his own. It's exciting, but at the same time a little oppressive. Golarion is impossibly huge already. Knowing that there are so many others of similar size... the knowledge feels like it's threatening to do the impossible: render a man who loves the sky agoraphobic.
To prevent that, he collects himself as best he can and focuses on the task at hand, paying close attention to the others' findings, and listening with keen interest when Kit asks the monks if they know anything about Lomrick.
Min is fascinated with the vastness of the universes that are explained by the monks, and the stars above. "This is very interesting. She waits to hear if they have anything to say about Lomrick as well. She also takes a chance and asks if the monks know of any work that the group might be able to do."
We have to eat and keep a roof over our heads after all.
One of the senior monks, delighted by all of your interest in matters mundane and fantastic, muses on your question of how to find a particular jagladine in the city.
"Alas, the jagladine tend to keep to their own devices. There is no central compound where the Hegemony congregates, and instead their representatives scatter throughout the city like dust. But don't give up hope! Someone always knows something, for a price in gold or favors. One of the coteries would surely know - they keep track of any visitors with power for their own purposes. But convincing them to tell you, that's what will cost you."
"I could arrange a meeting for you if you like, with a junior member of the Avaar Coterie, with whom we have contact. They might be able to arrange a trade of services for information. Alternatively, you could try to attract the attention of a more bloody-minded coterie, by entering the fights at the Battle Pits, if you have the stomach for it."
The monk thinks a bit longer and then calls for an associate to bring a log book, inches thick and bulging with rough pages. "Ah yes, I thought this sounded familiar. There was a young jaskirri woman who came by just last week asking similar questions about jagladine and their habits. It's a long shot, but perhaps you might share information and find wisdom in each other."
Kit bows deeply, Thank you. Yes, please make an introduction to this Avaar Coterie. We were thinking of checking out the battle pits. He then motions to Hilde, She doesn't say much but she is a real tigress! He then chuckles.
Hilde, distracted, gets into attention at the mention of the battle pits. She smiles hen Kit mentions she is a tigress, and kiss him on the cheek as a thank you.
Kit blushes. Ahh..Thank you Hilde!
Can you give us this young woman's information? I'd like to talk to her and see if we can share notes." Or find out why she's asking the exact same questions. Min is interested.
"I'd like the introduction. As well as Hilde would do in the Battle Pits, I would not. Casinos are retreats sound more like something that I can work with."
"I agree that we should at least try to get somewhere with the more talkative group before resorting to the ones that force blood sports," says Dilwyn. "That's still an option if we get nowhere with these Avaar. Also comparing notes is a great idea. Maybe we should try that one first, before getting involved with a faction and possibly limiting our ability to operate freely on our own."
Hilde seems disappointed the blood pits are not the first stop...
”It’s not that we are unwilling to fight, but perhaps using our brains first is the better course of action.”
The monk says "Well it seems you have some decisions to make amongst yourselves! I will send word ahead to Lasandar - my contact in the Avaar - to possibly expect some offworlders with skills and a need. Whether you go or not is your business. It's no small thing to deal with the coteries, but if you find it worth your while, he has offices in the Skytalon. Magnificent views. Ask for Lasandar, he grew up within these walls before making a success of himself, and tell him that Yellow Book sent you." The monk laughs. "We take odd names in this order."
"As for the jaskirri woman, I believe her name was Kaetrix, and she did leave word that if we find anything of relevance to her queries that she could be often found at the Weave Runner. It's a dingy cantina for offworlders on the Northwest side of the river, right off of Morpheum Street."
He thinks for a moment more and winks at Hilde. "Some of you might be interested to know that tomorrow is a War Day at the Battle Pits. There will be a crowd of ten thousand packing the coliseum, and any can sign up to compete, whether in groups or individually for duels."
Hilde looks at Iskender with fierce eyes when he talks about "brains instead or brawls", but smiles and her face shines with glee when she hears about War Day.
"Where do I sign up?"
"Thank you Yellow Book for your assistance. I believe we do have some plans to make. Which will include a trip to the Battle Pitts." She grins at Hilde.
You can swear Hilde jumps excitedly a little when Min mentions the Battle Pits.
The party makes its way across town, reveling still in the strangeness of this new world. All roads on that side of the river eventually run into Morpheum Street and it strikes you as something that would be unbelievable anywhere on Golarion. It's a causeway filled with crowds of every species you can imagine, with upscale shops all around on the major street, and shadier businesses stretching into the side streets.
Exotic services tiptoeing between sin and art are offered on every sign. Expensive drug dens offer escape through transcendental experiences and magical tattoo artists promise in their windows ink that animates in unusual and arcane ways, while tantric brothels hint at experiences some species are physically and spiritually incapable of. One elaborate building that looks like a castle from the borderlands of Lastwall transplanted somehow onto a city street declares itself the official Exorcist's Guild of the city, and you notice at least half a dozen psychic detective agencies.
At long last, you pull yourself down a side street and find yourself in front of the Weave Runner, as dingy and rundown a place as Yellow Book described. The party pushes open the doors and is instantly aware that something isn't quite right. The room is hushed, chairs are pushed over, and a few patrons push past you or out the back doors.
This dimly lit room features large, round tables with chairs positioned around them. The northwest corner includes a spacious bar lined with barstools. Behind it, large mirrors and shelves hold a variety of glasses and seemingly exotic liquors in a dizzying array of colors. Empty, worn, leather couches rest against the north and west walls, and an empty stage, suitable for musicians, rises five feet above the main floor in the northeast corner. Double doors exit south and east, and a single door leads north.
A terrified looking bartender, who is one of the first human-looking sorts you've found on this world, cowers behind the bar. A jaskirri woman is backing away, and she seems to match the basic description of the species that Yellow Book gave you - a close cousin of Golarion's catfolk.
She seems to be cornered by a half dozen thugs, moving to block her exit. But these thugs look wrong somehow, a stomach-turning hybrid of rat and humanoid. Elongated snouts, razor sharp teeth, and hands clenched into claws.
The woman cries out to you: "Strangers! I don't suppose you'd like to lend a hand to someone who might be a friend in need?"
Kit grins, Gents! It's been awhile since I've been in a good barroom brawl, to be honest I am not a stranger to them, in fact, I've been in many, so unless you want to see what me in my friends can do, you'll let the lass go.
Hilde smiles and moves towards the rat-people without losing the stride.
On the way there, she turns into her feline form, jumps on top of a table and licks her lips, hungrily.
"As it happens, we were just out seeking a diversion of exactly this sort, but it would not be sporting for us to simply step in and solve your plight. First, we owe it to your adversaries, to at least offer them the opportunity to back out without loss of face, or life. Second, while you have invited us to your party, an offer we are certainly inclined to accept, I wish your assurance, before we do accept that you will speak with us following this little event. So, for you lot, this is your chance to leave gracefully, and as for you milady, your chance to agree to accept our help under the circumstances I proposed."
Dilwyn lets the others talk. He doesn't really have anything to add, and doesn't want to muddle things by adding another voice to the milieu. Instead, he'll take the opportunity of a few moments warning to cast shillelagh on his staff in case things come to blows, like it looks.
Min sighs. Two nights in a row there are bar fights. We're going to get a reputation. She casts Mage Armor on herself while waiting for their adversaries response.
"All the conversation you can handle and drinks on me until you can't walk if you should be of assistance! The bartender's an old friend of mine here!" The bartender squeaks at attention being drawn to him, and he slides further down behind the bar at a glare from the nearest rat-creature.
The creatures turn upon you, and seem to like their numerical advantage and have the confidence of those who have never met bigger fish in their little pond. They seem disinclined to negotiate one way or the other. "Boss says gut the kitty, we gut the kitty. And any offworlders who are too stupid to find the door they just walked in."
These creatures remind you of skinwalkers, of the wererat-kin variety. They are shapeshifters who look human normally, but can change into a half-rat form. Not true lycanthropes, but some sort of half breed. Wererat-kin are known sometimes as nightskulks, and tend to form packs of relatives. Highly intelligent and quite dexterous, they tend to favor rogueish lives, and so you'd not be surprised if they sneak attack. Their hideous and unnatural half-animal features turn the stomach, and you realize that being attacked by one might just make you nauseous. Also, and perhaps most importantly, you remember that they can see in the dark.
Everyone leaps into combat!
Hilde: rolled a 4 above
So, Kit, Iskender, and Dilwyn do your thing, then I'll have the foes and Kaetrix go, then Hilde and Min (and top of the order).
Also, remember this room is in dim light, so I'll copy and paste the rules text for that here:
In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself.
(low light vision does not help according to the rules)
"Nightskulks huh? We have these on Golarion. Be careful, as their attack can make you sick, and they can see in the dark, so light would be appreciated."
Iskender draws his wand of sound burst, whispers the command word, and fires off the spell to envelop the three enemies to the northwest.
and
DC 13 Fort Saves, or be stunned for a round.
Dilwyn holds his staff at the ready should they close the distance on him, but for the time being is content to move part of the way in and start throwing around some lightning. Maybe between his lightning and Iskender's thunder they're think twice about their choices.
Kit will move next to Hilde and await the first thug to come up!
One of the nightskulks struck by the sound burst is stunned and is unable to act for the moment (), though the noise seems to only infuriate the other two within its radius. A bolt of lightning lances into one of those in front of Hilde, scorching its fur even as it cowers slightly from her.
Other than the stunned one, all five nightskulks take advantage of the dim lights to slide into the shadows, aiming to sneak blades into the vitals of the terrifying cat creature looming before them!
The two nightskulks spooked by Hilde's countenance are too worried about getting within reach of her claws to hide well, but the others flow like liquid smoke, coming at Hilde from unexpected angles with shining blades.
2,3, and 4 attack vs. Hilde's flatfooted AC of 12, 5 and 6 vs normal AC of 13:
Blades slice in from every direction, cutting into Hilde for 43 damage in addition to 2 bleed damage (applied at the start of her turn). Worried that her new friends might not be around long enough for the promised conversation, Kaetrix darts forward to help Hilde, wielding short sword and kukri in a blur of steel.
Sadly, her blade does little work, merely scratching at the creature.
then top of the order again.
Nightskulk 1: 19/26 hp; stunned
Nightskulk 2: 26/26 hp
Nightskulk 3: 19/26 hp
Nightskulk 4: 26/26 hp
Nightskulk 5: 19/26 hp; shaken
Nightskulk 6: 21/26 hp; shaken
Hilde: 23/68 hp; 2 bleed
"Take some of them out! I will handle the light problem! Hilde and Kit, I need you to fall back 5 feet towards me! Dil, can you heal her when she falls back?"
Kit hears them attacking Hilde, but with the dim light, all he sees are shadows. He swings his axe out at what looks like a shadow, but only slices through air.
Dilwyn thinks hard about Iskender's plan. While healing Hilde is a good thing, generally speaking, there are so many of these things that the little bit of healing he can do isn't going to keep up with the amount of damage that they can dish out if they all gang up on her like that again. So, for the time being, he feels the best course of action is to try to make a dent in their numbers advantage while he still has an enchanted quarterstaff, or at least divert some of their attention onto himself instead. So he moves up next to Hilde to make it harder for these things to flank her, and swings with a massive overhand chop at the one in the middle on that side, trusting the vertical motion to negate the difficulty seeing these things in the dim light.
Min casts two Magic Missile at the enemy in between Hilde and the Elf. "You gonna take care of that light now?"
Hilde, hurt, growls and slashes the hidden attacker, using her scent ability to try and pinpoint them.
Which of the bad guys are still up?
We should be so lucky!
Nightskulk 1: 19/26 hp; stunned
Nightskulk 2: 26/26 hp
Nightskulk 3: 19/26 hp
Nightskulk 4: -13/26 hp
Nightskulk 5: 19/26 hp; shaken
Nightskulk 6: 10/26 hp; shaken
Dilwyn wounds one and Min shoots the one in front of Hilde with a magic missile. Hilde, in a rage, destroys the one in front of her.
Iskender casts glitterdust catching all 4 of the critters north of us, not including the NPC in green.
DC 15 Will, or be stunned. And they are glowing, so no more sneak attacking?
Nightskulk 1: 19/26 hp; stunned
Nightskulk 2: 26/26 hp
Nightskulk 3: 19/26 hp
Nightskulk 4: -13/26 hp DEAD
Nightskulk 5: 19/26 hp; shaken
Nightskulk 6: 10/26 hp; shaken
All of the Nightskulks are stunned except one who promptly attacks Kit and misses.
I can see you now, you sneaky bastard! Kit yells as he swings his axe.
His aim is off and he hits nothing but air.