Fresh off your induction into the Society and the completion of your basic training within the organization, you find yourselves in the office of Ambrus Valsin, the venture-captain in charge of daily operations in and around the Grand Lodge. The efficient and straightforward chamberlain greets you curtly and motions for you to sit.
“All right, Pathfinders! Listen up. I know you are new recruits eager to make names for yourselves in the organization, but first we need to make sure you are up to snuff and won’t get yourself killed out there. I have a number of small assignments for you and your team, and it would be best if you could finish them before the day’s end.
“Every day we get some doe-eyed hopeful or some sniveling bootlicker willing to do anything to join up with the Pathfinders. Most of them are good kids, but not all of them have the salt to make it in a world like this. It’s rough out there and I’m not just talking about the ruins, tombs, and wilderness Pathfinders find themselves in on missions. We’ve got people who look down their noses at us, folks who think we squander our resources, and agents who want to take everything we have collected. This wealth of knowledge and these items of lore make us the most powerful organization on the planet. That said, since we are fractured and widespread, it’s difficult for that power to light on anything for too long. For every friend of the Society, there are two enemies."
He slides an envelope across his desk to you.
“Your first mission, to test your mettle and loyalties, sends you to meet a few people important to the Society living here in Absalom. These are other venture-captains or close allies of our organization, so follow their orders as you would mine. I’ve prepared a list of things I want you to do. They’re not arranged in any particular order of importance, but I want them all completed as quickly as possible. Only report to me once you complete them all. Included in the envelope is the list, complete with the name of your contact, and directions to the meeting location.”
Venture-captain Vaslin leans back in his chair, studying each of you in turn as he waits for your reactions.
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Srina looks at the venture-captain with her face unchanging. Her scowl has not changed since entering the room.
"If that is what you require... sir, then it shall be done." Her voice is quiet, but deadly serious. She seems to searching for the proper tone of respect, although it is evident she is sure these tasks might not test her mettle enough.
The envelope in question is quite unremarkable. A wax seal bearing the crest of the Pathfinders is easily broken in order to retrieve its contents.
- A man named Guaril Karela runs a curio shop in the Docks called the Pickled Imp. Go to him and fill his request as a favor to the Society. I believe it has something to do with a set of rare books.
-Ollysta Zadrian requestes aid and is expecting you the Temple of the Shining Star in the Ascendant Court. She needs someone to deliver a parcel of medicine and curatives to a needy orphanage and verify the character of the recipient.
- Visit the offices of Osirian nobleman Dremdhet Salhar in the Wise Quarter. The Patherfinder Society needs to obtain permission to delve the Salhar ancestal vaults beneath Sothis. He has made a verbal agreement, and your visit makes it official. You will receive an official charter and detailed maps. Do not embarrass the Society in this matter.
-Chelish Paracountess Zarta Dralneen possesses an item located from the Vaults. Meet with her in her estate in the Ivy District and retrieve the item in her possession.
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"Which one do we wanna' pay a Visit first, lades?"
"Andrazi wants to see to Karela's task first. I see no reason why not", Tanrov says.
"I will follow where you all wish. My bow is always ready."
"Hopefully bows won't be needed to collect some old books", the young warrior replies with a playful grin.
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Standing a bit apart from the group Pavo leans agains a wall, folded arms and one foot resting against the wall as he chews on a wooden stick. Listening to venture-captain Valsin without comment he siddles up to Tanrov as he breaks the seal on their orders. "Can I see that?" he asks over his shoulder and plucks the letter out of his hands when offered and reads it over.
Mulling it over he nodds in agreement for their first destination. "First two look like deliveries so they should take us into diferent quarters where we might fullfill one of the lower ones in the same run. Sounds good big guy." he says and hands the letter back with a smile. "Lead the way."
Heading out the door he gives a wink and a mock salute to the venture-captain.
Venture-captain Valsin smiles grimly and nods as if approving of his own evaluation of you. With a wave of his hand, he dismisses you while simultaneously turning his attention to other papers on his desk.
Your group of fledgling Pathfinders leave the trapping of the Grand Lodge behind and begins making your way south towards the Docks. Although still early, the city of Absalom is already bustling with activity as people of every nationality and race begin going about their day. Eventually, the diverse style of immigrant hovels, taverns, and street stalls give way to countless warehouses, fish mongers, and import emporiums. The briny smell of the Inner Sea finally begins to overpower the exotic and/or less appealing odors from the rest of the metropolis.
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Pavo falls into step with the group as they head out, pulling his cloack around him as they enter the streets. Taking in the sights and smells of the great city he smiles at the diversity of it's populace, knowing thet nowhere on the whole of golarion was a bigger stirring pot of meetin cultures and sociaties.
There are all manner of businesses and homes that you pass by, owned by individuals from every walk of life. You have little doubt that one could quickly get themselves lost in such a metropolis. Fortunately, the directions to the Pickled Imp are very clear and quite easy to follow.
There are all manner of businesses and homes that you pass by, owned by individuals from every walk of life. You have little doubt that one could quickly get themselves lost in such a metropolis. Fortunately, the directions to the Pickled Imp are very clear and quite easy to follow.
The creepy shop contains myriad odds and ends, most bereft of any discernible use. A number of malformed creatures and creature parts bob in jars on a long, prominent shelf, a tiny fetal devil centered in this macabre lineup. The shopkeeper, a greasy-haired Varisian with a thin mustache, shouts from behind the cluttered counter:
"Ah yes, I see the Pathfinders have arrived. I'm glad to Ambrus was able to lend a few of his new recruits to help me. Please come in and let me tell you what I need."
Looking around as if to be absolutely certain no customers are browsing the aisles of knock-off Thuvian burial urns or supposed Azlanti porcelain, he begins:
"Well met. I am Guaril Karela. A friend of mine has a warehouse near here and he received a parcel on behalf of me and some of my associates, but there's a problem. See, Master Gelbane had to leave town in a hurry and our shipment is still waiting at his warehouse. Rumor is he ended up in trouble with the law and the place was seized. I heard tell from someone down at the docks that some creep was snooping around his warehouse just the other night, so I want to make sure nothing of mine was taken. He keeps all kinds of things, from beer to nails, in that old pelican, but every now and then he stores something really special. This is one of those cases.
"There's a big crate marked with three crowns arranged in a triangle. Inside that crate is a smaller container with a few books and papers in it. That's the only parcel I'm interested in, and as far as I'm concerned, you can help yourself to the rest of the crate. Honestly, anything else you want in the place too. I'm sure that once things get sorted out, the city will seize most everything else anyway.
"My associates and I often work with the Pathfinders when it comes to special relics and documents, getting them in and out of ports and across borders where the authorities ask too many questions. Most people don't realize what they have and frankly many don't deserve to have it, so sometimes we help take the goods off their hands. If things work out well and you get this done, I'd be glad to talk to you more and help you out with any future endeavors, as long as you help me out too. I'm good at returning favors, trust me."
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Pavo nods to Tanrov as he mentions feeling like he was beeing wathced. "Yup. Couldn't see anyone though."
All-smiles he follows in after Karela, nodding at her description o ftheir buisness with the pathfinders, seeming no-plused at the notion of less-than-legal meas of aquireing relics.
"Do you have any notion of who might be snooping around the place? Just wondering who we need to look out for."
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Srina looks at Guaril with total disgust. "are you actually suggesting we steal what we want as payment for this task?" She heads towards the door speaking to the rest of the group, ignoring Gauril at this point. "I will help retrieve this man's crate because it is the task the Lodge gave us, but I will not be a part of robbing the rest of the place." She steps through the door to wait outside.
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Tanrov frowns a bit as the task is explained. Breaking into a warehouse and robbing it certainly isn't what he had in mind for his first Society affiliated mission. He watches the elf storm out in a huff and considers doing the same but then he remembers what the venture captain told him.
“Your first mission, to test your mettle and loyalties, sends you to meet a few people important to the Society living here in Absalom. These are other venture-captains or close allies of our organization, so follow their orders as you would mine".
"We will see it done, Karela", the young Shoanti confirms.
Tanrov looks around to his remaining allies for support as if unsure of himself, "Do you prefer Guaril or Karela?"
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" I wars too busy looking at all them' shops to notice any one."
Also uneasy about "helping ourselves" to the crate, Thoradin speaks his mind in the blunt, Dwarven way"
" I'll not be 'elping meself to anything in thar crate. Us Dwarves earn our keep, not gettin' a Five' finger Discount 'ike some Halfing Theif'"
Guaril shrugs with indifference and addresses his remaining audiance, "My interests lie only with my property and I make no offer of payment to any of you. I would presume your compensation is being handled by those whose behalf you're working on. What I mean to say is that should anything happen to the other contents that are suppose to be under Master Gelbane's care, just know that I'll not lose any sleep over it.
"As for your other more relavent concerns, I have little to offer you. All sorts of criminal elements, squaters, and rift-raft may be poking around the unattended pelican and without an interest in the well being of my property. Security should be nearly non-existant. Since being seized, Master Gelbane's staff have similarly abondoned the warehouse and the city guard have many other pressing concerns; too many to stand constant watch over the place. However, I'm confident that you'll manage to overcome any obsticles that you might encounter. You are Pathfinders afterall."
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Pavo shrugs and grins as the elf walks out and looks at the rest of the crew, wondering if anyone else will too. Seeing them stay he just nods at Guaril, "Don't worry, we'll be back befor you know it." and walks off with the others.
Out on the streets again he looks around, wondering if they still have a tail.
It's only a few short blocks to the actual docks of the Dock district. Perched on the end of a long pier fifteen feet above the water, the warehouse appears to struggle against its own roof, threatening to sag into the bay below. No light shines from the building's windows and only the movement of the gulls and pelicans stirs the scene.
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Andrazi looks at the crew, trying to assess their capabilities. "Pavo, can you check the door? I don't want any surprises. If it's also locked, please deal with it. Srina, be our lookout. We don't need any interruptions." He requests of those party members. No way it is this easy. There's always a catch. No way someone leaves a full warehouse of unguarded and untrapped. What's the angle? He will motion for the rest to stay back while Pavo is at work.
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Bringing up the rear Pavo takes in his surroundings before going to the door.
Grinning at Andrazi he steps past him and checks the door for surprises, reflecting on his recent training in tomb-raiding. 'Amazing how it can be applied to more recent structures as well.' he mulls as he checks the doors crevices, it's lock and it's bolts.