It has been a few days after the events of the theater, and nothing has come about. No reprisals from the Shadow Lodge, no words of warning, nothing. However, as you wander a Downmarket street, suddenly the street is empty of residents, the choking mass of humanity and monsters suddenly remembering they had something better to do. Standing about you in a loose circle are six burly men carrying cudgels and a seventh man, skinny and bedecked in robes and jewels, his right hand in a pouch on his belt. You recognize them all as the same men you brought you to Dakar before. All of the men stare intently at you.
“Dakar says you owe him a favor,” says the skinny man in robes. “You’ll need to come with us.”
It seems this is the way everyone meets Dakar, always. Just like last time, your heads are bagged and you are stuffed inside a small, dusty wagon and driven in bumpy, painful circles around the city for at least an hour before being dragged from the wagon, marched through small streets or large hallways, and then stopped. At this point, the bags are removed and the you find yourselves in the same nice club or private residence with the same carpeted floors, potted plants, slaves waving fans, and the same giant backlit screen along one wall. A shape, decidedly vague in outline, can be seen behind the screen and a voice speaks.
“You owe me a favor, little Pathfinders, and it’s time to pay up.”
The voice pauses for a moment, a bit of dramatic flair, and then continues, "The two largest political entities in the City of Strangers, My Commerce League and the golem-making Ardoc family, have come to an accord. We have decided the reign of the Shadow Lodge within our walls is at an end. This problem is to be solved by the Pathfinder Society: you must track down the Shadow Lodge, find its headquarters, exterminate its members, and rid the city forever of the meddlesome organization."
Dakar says, "I don't have any further information on their whereabouts, but I'm sure enterprising little Pathfinders such as yourselves should have no problem tracking them down. You might try Downmarket or the Meatgate—lots of eyes there may have seen something.”
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Garrett did not appreciate being called a "little" Pathfinder, nor the slaves, but... sometimes one must bite one's tongue for the moment for the greater good. The one issue he could not ignore was the extermination of all the Shadow Lodge members... he was not an assassin, and besides, he was sure the Decimverate would appreciate prisoners to interview.
When Blend suddenly bursts and shouts much the same as Garrett was thinking he smiles a little, but Silgil did have an excellent point. Discomfort as a Pathfinder is to be expected at times. He then turns towards their shadowy benefactor. "We will complete our mission and then our fulfillment to you is complete. Agreed?"
There is a long pause as Dakar's shadowy form stills in the lamplight at Blend's outburst. When his voice does come back through the screen, it is as light and cheerful as ever.
He says, "Oh yes, little pathfinder, you will be sent back the same way. This is how business is done in the City of Strangers. And yes, Mr. Goodleaf, your obligation to me will be gone after this. I aided you in your mission, and now you help rid Kaer Maga of a fool's lodge intent at upsetting the careful balance of power we've crafted here. Yes, indeed, everything will be balanced."
To Prisim he says, "Downmarket is just as your imagination would lead you to believe: a constant shifting bazaar of tents and stalls. The Meatgate, well, it is also just that. It's in the Warren. You will see, if you decide to go there."
He says finally, "Now, if our business is concluded, my men will escort you back."
True to his word, Dakar's men send you back the same way you came, in silenced hoods and a trundling cart about the city. You are dropped in the same place they picked you up and depart without a word.
With little information to go on to find the true hideout of this Shadow Lodge, you move into the city proper, into Downmarket, to talk to the people and find a lead. The press of carts and tents and merchants barking at you, selling all manner of wares is staggering. The crowds teem and crawl across the stone streets, buying and selling and stealing and mending. You notice some familiar faces in the crowds here, too. Maybe they heard something new since you last saw each other?
Sard is a gruff and drunk dwarf and seems down on his luck. He seems to know much, but if you want information out of him, it'll likely be worth a gold piece.
Miss Feathers, despite the name, is a hulking, muscular man with a deep, booming voice and a quick laugh. Information can be had from Miss Feathers, but it usually comes with a lot of conversation—particularly sordid stories about bad run-ins with the locals during his day-to-day work.
Fasch is a little mouse of a girl, and the you likely encounter her trying to steal your coin purse. For a warm meal, she’ll tell you everything you need to know about Kaer Maga.
Jorda is tall and skeletally thin as a result of a wasting disease in his childhood. His face is pockmarked with scars and he speaks stiffly, as though his lips don’t fully work. He’s serious, business-like, and willing to share information once you buy some of his “fresh” fruit.
Roold is short, muscular, and thick, with close-cut hair and polished leather armor. She’s likely to be found in a pub and will share information with you once she’s has a few drinks.
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Prisim, looks around the all too familiar people.
Well, Polly would want me to try and redeem someone...
She joins Silgil tacking Sard.
"Why Hello there Sard. Remember us? Here, let me buy you some food. Helps to settle the stomach, or so I hear. And yes, maybe a little fruit juice... grape juice? Why, of course... from over there?
"We were hoping that you might have heard a bit more about what is going on around town, especially about that spooky sounding shadow lodge outfit.."
<-and add in any aids provided.
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Blend will catch up with Fasch outside a local street vendor selling sausage on a stick, probably just as she is cutting some poor merchants purse.
Stepping out of the shadows he places a hand on her shoulder, still not found any honest work Fasch? Maybe I can help change that, I am looking for information and you look like just the right person
Blend buys her a sausage on a stick and drops a few silver coins her way to see if she can find anything about where this shadow lodge is based.
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As all good adventures know, the pub is one of the best places an adventurer can go if they want to find information. On top of that, it's also a place to relax - a win-win situation!
Chip heads to the pub and spots a short human there drinking by herself whilst wearing armor. He heads up to her and orders her a drink. "Name's Chip. Im looking for some information and was wonderingly if you knew about it. But first, what's your name?" Chip does some small talk as he orders a few drinks for himself as well, talking about where he grew up in Bloodcove and how the Aspis use that town and exploited it when he was little, and how he ended up losing his parents to them. He plans to make a better life for himself as a noble adventurer.with better ideals. He also asks for a little bit about her.
After she gets more talkative, he gets more serious and asks about the Shadow Lodge in town, saying how he doesn't want an organization to do to Kaer Maga what the Aspis does to Bloodcove.
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Lod has been quiet to this point, pleased that Dakar's wishes align so nicely with the Society's and that paying off the favor will be no more than what the Society would have asked them to do eventually anyways.
Lod decides to follow Chip in speaking with Roold. He peppers the conversation with his own tales, most of which start with, "Well, in the colds of the north we do things a bit differently..." or something of the sort. When Chip mentions the Shadow Lodge, he carefully nudges Roold to get any information he can.
Sard grunts at the gnome and then glances at Silgil. He says, "Well I usually take my meals a lil' more liquid," he laughs big and booming, shaking the table, "But aye, I could always eat a bit. Shadow Lodge you say. Well you both are right, and do know a bit. Know some outfit trying to muscle their way in to Kaer Maga. Should'a seen that end comin', tha fools. Heard some Pathfinders gave em a good cutting. That Vadroma's probably been executed by now, and word is one of them Pathfinders put an arrow into their leader's eye. Can ya believe it! Never would'a thought those dandies and treasure hunters had it in 'em."
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Fasch yelps at the hand on her shoulder as Blend comes out of the shadows, and for a moment her face is pure horror until she realizes who's caught her. "You right scared the pee down my leg, neh! What in all the gods you doin' back 'ere? Thought ya'd be gone, just passin' through like all the rest."
When the sausage and the coins come, she relaxes a bit. "Eh, sorry about before. One more strike against me an' the Commerce League gents'll have my hide. Stole from the wrong person way back I did. Thought I did it again. Sorry mate, wish I could be more help to ya, but I haven't heard anything about no Shadow Lodge. Couldn't tell you where they hid even if they was sleeping next to me probably. But I'd watch yourself. They sound dangerous."
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Chip and Lod approach Roold and the stern woman cracks her neck. "The name's Roold," she says. And the conversation flows from there, Roold and Chip and Lod swapping stories of battle and hardship. When the Shadow Lodge is mentioned she straightens for a brief moment and sets down her glass. "The Shadow Lodge. I swear I saw one of them wandering around the Meatgate the day before. Half-elf in a chain shirt. Just looked...wrong, somehow. You know what I mean? Meatgate, probably find her there again."
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You meet back up after hours have passed and seem to have a bit of a lead. You depart from Downmarket and move through the city and into The Warren. Ramshackle huts lean together for support in this mess of a district. Where everything else was stone and paved road, here it is rotted wood and dirt. The dust kicked up by the foot traffic of travelers sends a haze about the twilight air. When you come to the Meatgate, it is at once familiar and utterly bizarre. As in Downmarket, merchants holler and jostle for position, but here they sell flesh. Every manner of animal meat is on display, and blood runs in the dirt and collects in puddles, slowly coagulating beneath the mess of meat.
You are caught by the press of people, shouting.
Garrett, Blend, and Chip notice four assailants coming out of the crowd to attack the Pathfinder team!
In Combat!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Surprise Round
Blend
Chip
Lod
Prisim
Garrett
Silgil
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Enemy Pathfinder Team (Muminah, Bega, Micky, Todor)
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-Posted with Wayfinder
As instructed, Zipper moves towards the woman.
The assailants look to be a mix of races. A woman in a chain matches the description Roold gave. She stands near a table and chairs to the Northeast of you. To the East is a burly half-orc wearing splintmail and wielding a wicked scimitar. To the North stands a gnome in a chain shirt with a longbow. To the West is a human man in a robe.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Blend draws his bow while Chip and Zipper fly into action. Chip's arrow sticks solidly into the half-orc, past the man's scalemail armor. Garrett inspires his fellows with rousing rhetoric.
Amidst the throng of people the woman begins to pray and a brilliant purple and blue light springs forth around her, emanating out and washing over the half-orc, but strangely moving around Zipper as it the creature was excluded from her prayer. The half-orc's wounds begin to knit.
"Bega, Micky, get them! Todor, you know what to do," the woman shouts.
Bega, the half-orc, moves toward the party through the people, who are now just realizing combat has broken out amidst them, and some have started to flee. He brandishes his wicked scimitar, relishes the thought of combat.
Mickey, the gnome, draws back his longbow and fires a shot at Blend, which hits flesh and blood comes dribbling out of the wound.
Seeing the arrow hit Blend, Todor points a finger and a blue sphere jumps out and zips straight toward the half-orc, barreling into his chest.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: inspire courage +1
Active conditions: entire map is difficult terrain due to the crowds this round.
Round 1
Blend (-9)
Chip
Lod
Prisim
Garrett
Silgil
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Enemy Pathfinder Team (Muminah, Bega (-4), Micky, Todor)
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Zipper finishes moving towards the woman, grunting in anticipation along the way.
He attacks.