Feral's Giantslayer: #5 Anvil of Fire - Sanctioned Seeker Adventure (Inactive)

Game Master Feral

Dot here.

Ralph teleports invisibly into the room and, seeing no one else, hovers silently near the ceiling to observe who will be the next to arrive.

Having been asked to remove his weapons before entering, 42 comes in through the door, several pounds lighter. But those who know him, knows that he is not unarmed.

Rhon walks into the room talking with a massive pile of rock that is striding next to him. Looking around after entering he gestures at earth elemental to take a place in the corner while they await the arrive of everyone else.

Rhon gives a nod and wave to 42 after settling into a chair and pouring himself a mug of ale.

A short moment later, the door opens again, and Exiel floats in to join the assembled seekers.

"Well met, 42, Brother Delver. Rhon is that Earl I see with you?" Exiel winces a little as he recalls the horrors that befell the Stonelord's companion(s) during their last mission.

"And I was sure Ralph said he would be joining us on this adventure..."

"Aye, it is Earl. He suffered a bit of misfortune last time out but as you can see he got better and bigger."

A short while later what at first resembles an archangel enters the room, although it quickly becomes apparent that something is not right with it. Although undoubtedly attractive, this being wearing no obvious armor, but appears to be a winged samurai.

"Greetings Pathfinders. My name is Kaldane Starlight, former priest of Razmir. Do you know why we have been summoned?"

"I've not a darn clue why we are here but apparently someone has something important that needs doing. Why else would so many Seekers have been called for service?"

42 shrugs. "Someone, most likely, wants us to go get something from somewhere for some reason. That, or investigate an occurrence that they are too busy to check out themselves."

"Although, the fact that they're getting such a team together likely means that they expect significant trouble, either due to the nature of the mission or of the location we are being sent to. Seeing as there are two paladins present, perhaps we are being sent to the World Wound or Tanglebriar?"

"Now that could prove entertaining." Rhon grins. "Exiel, you did say that Ralph was supposed to be joining us, correct? Any idea where he is or what may be keeping him?"

"Given my proclivities, we're likely here to do something related to artifacts, as I am looking for a weapon that can be used to kill a God."

"Now why would you want to go and do something like that? Has this particular god offended you in some significant way or perhaps caused you some type of great suffering? Also, and this is just for my understanding and so that I can determine whether or not it is prudent that I continue on this journey with you, which god in particular are you seeking your vengeance upon?" Rhon leans forward in his chair with a deadly serious look upon his countenance as he awaits Kaldane' response.

42 went to drink from one of the cups on the table when he heard Kaldane's statement. Putting down the drink, 42 looked at him. "Think that weapon would be good enough to kill a crazy druid?"

Ralph speaks without breaking his invisibility or descending from his elevated position.

"I am present. Hello Rhon," he says softly with just the slightest hint of amusement in his tone. His attention is quickly caught by Kaldane's statement.

"I too am curious, Kaldane. Why and how are you seeking to kill a god?" he asks.

He thinks privately to himself that it is just as well the two paladins cannot see the sly and intrigued smile on his face.

I play Ralph as a morally-grey antihero. He seeks, desires and respects magical might and power. He is canny and pragmatic, and his methods have on occasion unsettled some. Just tell me out of character if it starts to unsettle you as a player and want me to dial it down. It won't be anything over-the-top or outright evil, and it is intended to create roleplay opportunities, not to offend.

Best description of Ralph is 'on the side of the good guys for now, but has the potential to become a villain someday'. His friendship with Exiel has done much to keep him from crossing moral thresholds, at least when he is looking.

Kaldane nods at Ralph's question and says "As I mentioned I was once a priest of Razmir. When myself and one of his paladins went to question him about the practice of some of his priests in using converted poor people as a weapon to extort money and favors from city governments, he informed us that this was the plan."

Kaldane shakes his head and says "We were naïve. We tried to make him see reason, but he soon revealed that he was not a good god at all, but quite an evil one. We managed to escape with our lives, but my friend lost his eye, and I lost my faith in religion. It wasn't soon after that the leader of the Shadow Lodge betrayed me as well."

"At any rate, now I seek a weapon to kill Razmir with. Killing a god is not done easily or lightly, but when I face him again, I will be ready."

"Very well then. That I can understand and even stand up for. I have faced the cult of Razmir before and toppled their plans. If I must do so again I would not hesitate."

"Ah, Ralph... didn't see you there. Actually, still don't," Exiel chuckles.

"I've had some run-ins with Razmirans as well. Not pleasant ones. Fortunately, from what I have seen, he does not take that much of an interest in affairs beyond the borders of his nation."

"I cannot imagine that too many god-slaying artifacts exist though. Those that do tend to be very quickly procured and sequestered by the more active and powerful deities. I for one rather hope such an artifact simply does not exist. Even if it is first used for a good cause, wars and strife would soon follow in its wake."

"I'll happily destroy it once I have completed my use for it, but I can't see killing a god any other way."

"From what I can remember of my encounter with his followers none of them seemed to rely on tricks, herbal remedies, and magical items to make themselves seem empowered by a god. What I saw leads me to believe that he may not truly be a god but rather someone or something trying to emulate a god. So it may be that you will not need a true god killing weapon to bring about Razmir's end. Of course there is always a chance that I am wrong but I am sure that the Society has records on Razmir that can be studied to be certain of his status."

I am relying on my memory of playing Masks of the Living God combined with a bit of conjecture for this information.

"Those with power are sometimes imagined by those without power to be gods," Ralph chuckles. "While you were away on your off-planet mission, I too was sent to a different planet to chase down... a traitor to the society. While I was there, the powers I displayed caused some of the populace to imagine me a divine being. If such is the nature of Razmir's 'divinity', perhaps your quest will be easier than you had thought, Kaldane. Perhaps after this mission is concluded, a few divinations would not be amiss?"

However I expect Razmir will have several measures to confound such magic, and they are beyond the scope of this adventure anyway.

42 suddenly leaves the room in a rush, and Ralph shoots a curious look in his direction and the open door behind him.

"I wonder where he is going in such a hurry..."

His frown turns into a smile as another hand pushes the door open.

"...and who our new arrival might be."

I am going to go ahead and invite Qstor to join us.

From everything that I have read, there is no indication that Razmir is not a god. His PR team is too good, and I believe that even divinations done on the matter confirm the issue or do not answer. Also, check this out for a form-fillable tracking sheet: Here

Yah but I am responding to Rhon's comments. I expect that in the aftermath Ralph's best divinations will turn up nothing, or even indicate that Razmir is a real god.

thanks!

A gnome with oversized elk antlers on his helmet leading a riding dog enters the room "Hello all.. I'm Purs! I'm a priest of Erastil"

"You probably shouldn't bring animals into a briefing room. I doubt that Venture Captain Valsin will appreciate it." says Kaldane as the Gnome enters.

"Oh he's fine. Valsin has seen him before!"

"Well met, Purs. 'Purrs' as in like a cat? I like cats! Though, you're riding a dog, so maybe not," Exiel chuckles.

"I am Exiel, and my stout friend here is Master Rhon Delver. We are warriors in of the Forge Father. Though our patrons do not cross paths often, our church holds Erastil in high regard, for both Torag and Erastil value home and community."

"Kaldane here I understand is a former priest of Razmir who now opposes him, and the invisible voice in the air is my childhood friend Ralph Cauthorn - now a powerful wizard and possibly the one in the group who has the least regard for the gods, whether that regard be for good or ill."

A little dove on Exiel's shoulder grows as he speaks, its form shifting into that of a young winged girl wearing a beautiful golden helmet, her face obscured by what appears to be a mask of constantly rustling pages from an assortment of tomes.

"Last but not least, this is my guide and faithful advisor, Lauriel."

"Such injustice from an old friend," the 'invisible voice in the air' replies drily. "I have the greatest regard for Nethys and the power he oversees. But I simply have no interest in cajoling power from another. True power is owned by oneself, and mine comes from understanding the very laws and foundations of magic itself, a power that transcends limitations."

"Speaking of which, Exiel, are you still interested in that lesson?"

Exiel: Are you still going to get the ring of spell knowledge to learn magic vestment from me?

"Greetings Purs. That huge pile of earth and rock in the corner is Earl."

The huge pile of earth and rock lifts an arm like appendage and waves at Pur.

"Now that we have been introduced we merely need wait for the Venture Captain to come and brief us on whatever task the Society has for us."

[B]"Not like a cat it's short for my name..Pursnickkitty. oh hi earl..are you an elemental?!? Will you be coming with us? It's near that your here"[b] Purs continues with Earl in an excited tone.

"Oh and Earl of course, sorry."

"Purrs-nik-kitty. I've never heard a name quite like it, but it certainly is quite cat...chy.... Well, I am pleased to meet you."

Exiel lets Ralph talk his ear off about gear selection as he carefully folds down the leather portions of his khepresh and tucks them under a broad-brimmed straw hat before putting the ensemble on his head and tying it down under his chin with a leather cord.

"Never really took to Osirian fashion, even if they do make good stuff. Well, I'm ready to go. Where is this Venture Captain anyway? Do we know who is giving the briefing?"

Earl rumbles along in conversation with Purs while waiting for things to get started.

"I am not sure whom is to provide the briefing this time around. While we wait would anyone like a drink?" Rhon takes a draw from his mug after he finishes speaking.

It's about this time that the party recognizes they are not in the office of Ambrus Valsin but of Venture-Captain Gallard Stormeye. The reverberation of the large ulfen man's arrival is felt through the floor before he's heard. He enters the office clad in his signature red dragonhide armor, carefully looking over several prepared letters. He doesn't even acknowledge the party's presence until he takes a seat behind the office's heavy walnut desk. He fans the papers across its surface and studies the assembled seekers with mismatched eyes - one dark as night and the other the bright blue of a summer sky.

"Eight years prior, the Pathfinder Society entered negotiations with a clan of giants in the Mindspin Mountains to acquire a minor relic in their possession. Seven months ago, an agreement was reached and my agents were chosen to travel to this clan's stronghold and complete the trade - one minor relic the giant's coveted for the one the Society believed held more historical significance. We. Were. Betrayed. Today I'm signing six condolence letters for friends and families of the agents that were murdered by those traitorous bastards", the rugged Venture-Captain explains in a quiet deadly fury.

"The Ten want an example made of these giants and, for once, I agree with them. The five of you were chosen to travel there and show the world what happens to those foolish enough to betray the trust of the Pathfinder Society."

"Should we also attempt to recover the bodies of the slain agents?"

Reminder that this is just RP. Don't take it seriously. Ralph is deliberately portrayed as arrogant and slightly sinister (much like Raistlin if you have read Dragonlance), but he will take good care of his minions fellow Pathfinders.

Ralph's lips tighten like cooling magma.

"A search-and-destory mission, I see. When I sent word to the Decemvirate that I was available for a mission, I was expecting a mission that particularly required my knowledge and magical skill, not some menial task that could just as easily be accomplished by an everyday sword-swinging oaf. Is this the thanks I get for saving the Diviner in the Tower from the Traitor's hammer? Was I given a rank of Venture Captain just for show? How disappointing."

"These giants are at least a credible threat, I hope? Cloud or storm giants? If you say 'hill giants' I will leave right now."

"And how do our paladins feel about being sent forth as executioners, hmm?"

Though no one can see the invisible wizard's smirk, the snide tone in his voice is unmistakable.

"If the chance to avenge some deceased pathfinders isn't enough for you, then look at it this way: If we let this stand, it will jeopardize a lot of our future missions, because it could embolden our enemies into believing that we are weak. As a Venture Captain, I would assume that you actually care about our various missions not being attacked and our scholars not being murdered."

"Surprisingly this falls into our code very easily. Torag teaches us that against my people’s enemies I will show no mercy. I will not allow their surrender, except to extract information. I will defeat them, and I will scatter their families. Yet even in the struggle against our enemies, I will act in a way that brings honor to Torag."

"I would consider the Pathfinder Society part of my people and I am sworn to defend them just the same as I would any members of Dwarven community."

can I swap out a spell?

"Well said, Rhon. The giants have proven themselves treacherous murderers. They must answer for what they have done, and be prevented from doing the same to others. We are protectors, but it is a poor protector who waits and does nothing till the aggressor is at the gates."

"But you surprise me, Ralph. As you say, you are now a Venture Captain, and as bearers of that title our reputations are inextricably linked to the Pathfinder Society as well. Would you have it be known in Golarion that Ralph Cauthorn was powerless to avenge his subordinates?"

"Sir Stormeye, we go not to execute or butcher, but to deliver justice and eliminate a threat to the peoples of Golarion. Where are we bound and what do you know of their defences? Brother Delver and I have some experience in infiltrating and destroying fortified enemy camps."

"Should we also attempt to recover the bodies of the slain agents?"

"That won't be necessary. The giants saw fit to return my agents along with a missive explaining they they felt about the exchange. It took some time reassembling the remains but we confirmed they were all accounted for."

"These giants are at least a credible threat, I hope? Cloud or storm giants? If you say 'hill giants' I will leave right now."

"Fire giants. Plus whatever neighbors they've been able to subjugate since they've claimed the mountain as their domain. I trust you won't be bored."

"Sir Stormeye, we go not to execute or butcher, but to deliver justice and eliminate a threat to the peoples of Golarion. Where are we bound and what do you know of their defences? Brother Delver and I have some experience in infiltrating and destroying fortified enemy camps."

"Call it whatever you want. Justice. Revenge. Punishment. The giants made it clear that strength is the only thing they respect. Show them what kind of the strength we have at our disposal."

"The giant clan holds a fortress built into a mountainside they call Ashpeak. I don't have maps for you but I can provide detailed imagery that should be good enough for teleportation near the site."

"Your attempt to goad me is transparent and infantile, Exiel, and yet it bears some kernel of truth. How annoying. But so be it. At least the remuneration the Decemvirate provides for my skills is sufficient to fund my research."

Ralph sneers when he hears that they are fire giants.

"Yes, it would be just like the Decemvirate to pick a mage known for his fire spells to fight against fire giants. Fortunately that will only be a minor inconvenience. An advantage even in some ways."

"You talk about teleportation, so I deduce that the Decemvirate is expecting me to provide transport. Just as well. It means that I have control of the schedule. I have some specific preparations I wish to make for combating fire giants, scrolls to purchase and spells to prepare. I suspect some of you also have preparations of your own. We will meet here tomorrow morning. If anyone has purchases to make or business to conduct outside of Absalom, say it now and I might be able to accommodate you."

"Exiel, with me. Not a moment to waste, I will need to spend the afternoon scribing in my spellbook."

Pursnikkitty: transport by teleportation gives me control of the pace. Go ahead and change your spells. I need to make some adjustments as well.

Feral: Can I assume we can take a day to obtain and prepare new spells and do some shopping?

Take whatever time you need to shop. Be aware that once you start the siege, stopping for breaks will give the giants time to summon reinforcements.

"Hey mate if it works it works," Exiel chuckles.

"Sir Stormeye, is there a particular objective the Decemvirate has requested? Are we to find and kill every giant in the fortress, or will finding and taking out a specific key leader or leaders suffice to scatter their forces and end their threat? Should we find a way to destroy their fortress?"

I can cast heroes feast before we leave too.

"And also, what about the relics? I assume the giants kept the one that we sent them, so should we grab both of them if we can?"

"Oh. Right. The relics. Ok, maybe we shouldn't think about collapsing their fortress then. Not yet anyway. Not until we recover the relics. What are the two relics in question by the way?"

"Yes of course we should get the relics!"

"This is why I asked about the relic in the first place. No sense in leaving behind the item the Society originally intended to receive."

"Sir Stormeye, is there a particular objective the Decemvirate has requested? Are we to find and kill every giant in the fortress, or will finding and taking out a specific key leader or leaders suffice to scatter their forces and end their threat? Should we find a way to destroy their fortress?"

"King *placeholder* and his consort are your main targets. They're responsible above all others. Kill anyone else that gets in your way."

I'm at work still and don't have the book in front of me. Real names to come later.

"And also, what about the relics? I assume the giants kept the one that we sent them, so should we grab both of them if we can?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if the bastards melted them down out of spite. Recover them if you can but don't risk your lives over it. If nothing else we can send a recovery team to hunt down what's left of them after the giants have been driven off."

I can post details on the relics later if you're interested.