Hakime is wearing tight, dark clothing already, but removes her cloak and stuffs it in her pack, and slips her holy symbol inside her shirt so it cannot be seen.
Aspex grunts and looks around again. "I suppose we just ask every person sitting around the market here if they will take us downstairs?" She sounds annoyed, which is not all that uncommon.
Kn:Local:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Aspex already looks like a Chelaxian villain in blood red and black, but I can roll a Disguise check if she still needs to.
While the others were impressing Dorice, Aspex and Gob do a better job looking for a potential informant and are directed to a reagent merchant who is supposedly a supplier for Tseka.
Omeck Amani, a tall thing man with short black hair and beady eyes, runs the 'Dust in the Dark' shop near the docks of the Undermarket. With the large party entering, Omeck greets the group quickly, almost stumbling over his words. "Ahh welcome to 'Dust', finest supplier of exoticreagentsintheUndermarket.Thereisnothingyoucannotfindhereforyourmagica landalchmeicalreagents;wouldyoulikesomebloodroot?", Omeck immediately putting a sack of powder in Aspex's hand.
HP 5/32 (0 NL) | AC 16; T 12; FF 14 | CMD 19 | Fort +2 | Ref +3 | Will +4; ++2 vs. enchantments; immune to sleep | Init +4 | Percept +9 | L1: 7/7 L2: 4/4
Not happy with having jumped through hoops to little benefit, Wyeth grumbles something about not being a trained performing animal as he detaches his cape and stashes it in his backpack.
No Kn:Local here either. Other than his cape Wyeth's dressed in pretty plain/mundane stuff. As long as you don't count his 'possum-skeleton helm. Which probably makes him look more disreputable. And let's not forget the peg leg and eyepatch, heh.
Aspex grunts and looks at the sack of powder skeptically. She sniffs at it and frowns. "If this is the best bloodroot I could get down here I would be better off at home. Luckily, we are selling, not buying." She drops the sack on the merchant's counter. "We hear Tseka might be interested in an item we have acquired."
"Ahhh, you wish to find the mistress of the Deepmarket?"
Omeck looks over the party and smiles. "It is your lucky day; I happen to be looking for new buyers and contacts. You must be wary, though; those who offer to lead people around the Undermarket are typically dishonest. Unlike I of course. But be wary of those, especially Odemi, a wayang with a penchant for getting people lost through her back-alley shortcuts, then demand extra to not leave the poor Undergreen lost in the middle of nowhere. She supposedly knows the area well, but keep an eye to make sure she doesn't plan on crossing you."
"Tseka has her lackeys do her dirty work for her, so I have not seen her in person. Recently, she's been sending the one that used to wear that silly compass around her his neck. The Aspis under her have eyes on everything that comes and goes out of the tunnels here. They say she keeps to the shadows, and anyone who crosses her winds up dead before they can even blink. She does a lot of trade in poisons and magical components; it is a lucrative market after all.", Omeck giving Aspex a wink. "Like I said before, don't go getting any ideas about skimming a bit of her profits. She's not the merciful type."
"That I cannot; I am a humble shopkeeper and Tseka makes a point to send her influence to those she is interested in, not the other way around.", Omeck dancing around the question.
DC 29 Perception:
You notice something watching you through a window, small... and furry?
Aspex grunted and pulled out the engraved darkwood box containing oracular finger bones smuggled out of Po Li. "Then you are the one who should assess this."
She can't hit a 29 on a Perception check even with a Natural 20, but can she Aid Another somebody else?
Perc Aid Another:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3Wow, guess not.
Hakime watches and waits for his reponse to Marduk, as she is wary of this stranger. perhaps he's just looking for work as a guide, but perhaps he has darker motives... we shall see
"There was no intent to be rude, just call it overly cautious... this is not a place where trust comes easily... and you have my apology for that. We are in search of a guide... do you know the area well enough and if you do, would you be interested?"
"I'm not sure about what is considered polite down here, but speaking from the shadows is usually considered rather rude. Perhaps if you step out of the shadows we could have a proper conversation," Gob says calmly, but he's really not comfortable not being able to see who they are talking to.
"Ahh, you would be correct, although the same goes for me, too. But what are you looking for? If it's interesting enough, I may be able to help you find it!", the voice exclaims.
"That would be information for our guide when we get to Deepmarket, and not something I wish to discuss openly to someone I can't see or whisper to... or in whom I have not yet put my trust."
There is initially silence to Hakime's reply, until it responds back, perhaps pondering the current situation first. "Hmmm, tell you what then. Tell me something most people won't know, or some really cool magic! If you do, I could help you find who you're looking for!"
I'll take a Knowledge: (any) check, or some flashy magic spells! Cantrips won't count, but an interesting use of most other spells may suffice.
Gob takes a moment to explain what a T-Rex is including it's base land speed. "So really you can't out run it. Your best bet is to out run the others around you."
M Half-Orc Monk of the 4 winds/QingGong lvl 4 HP 39/39 AC: 17/17/12 F.+6 R.+8 W.+5 Perc+6 Init+4, speed 40ft
Kn. Religion:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Marduk recalls a chapter about the mysteries of the Vudra peninsula.
"...and via that ritual, the priests banished the demon who wrecked havoc in the city."
Hakime doesn't come up with anything exciting, but everyone else manages to derive some curious information.
@Aspex: You see a single furry ear perk up after your explanation of demons. "Wow, gee. That is a frightful thing... those things are truly fallen souls."
@Gob: Another furry ear is visible upon your description of your time in the jungle. "Wow, that is so cool! Raaaawr!", the voice 'roars', despite its squeaky voice.
@Marduk: Now a slender, furry tail shoots up in excitement. "Wow, Vudra sound so amazing, the jungles and rituals... that. IS. AWESOME!!!"
The creature hurriedly moves to the party and they now get to see the thing they were talking to. In what could only be described as a cross between a fox and a snake, the creature greets itself. "My name is Yrishi, and you people are so cool!"
The Deepmarket Handouts link has been updated with a picture of your groupie :)
DC 18 Kn: Arcana:
This creature is a pipefox, a magical creature whose curious, stealthy nature lend itself well to observing and learning. They crave knowledge and new learnings, and may form bonds with those who share the same passion for education.
"Ahhh a pipfox. I've read about your kind, and if you've been down here for a decent amount of time you've probably picked up on a lot of things." He says as he pats the little guy on the head. "I think you and I are going to get a long just fine."
"Yes! I'd be happy to guide you to who you want to see as long as you share more of that riveting information!", Yrishi smiles, nuzzling Gob's hand during the pat. "So who is this person?", Yrishi's inquisitive eyes shining with interest.
HP 5/32 (0 NL) | AC 16; T 12; FF 14 | CMD 19 | Fort +2 | Ref +3 | Will +4; ++2 vs. enchantments; immune to sleep | Init +4 | Percept +9 | L1: 7/7 L2: 4/4
"Arr," says Wyeth, who had been silent and nervously scanning their surroundings throughout the odd conversation. "You're a strange lookin' thing and beyond me ken," he declares. "But cute, I'll say true. A pipfox, eh? Whereabouts ye be from, ye fuzzy little thing?"
Unfortunately Wyeth has exactly one Knowledge skill, and it's at +0, sigh. Maybe he could teach the little fella some alchemy?
@Wyeth: "Hehe, why thank you! I've been calling the tunnels under Goka my home since I was born! The many cracks, passages, and caves are great for looking around town, above and below!"
@Aspex: "Her? Oooo you guys really are interesting!", Yrishi chirps with her mouth agape. "Boy, that would make for an interesting story...", the pipefox pondering the action before agreeing. "Sure, let's do it! But you gotta share whatever secrets of cool knowledge you find, okay? Tseka is reeeeeeeeeally defensive about her and what she knows, so I don't know much about her other than where to find her... and that she's with them Aspis people. In fact, those Aspix folk have been trying to ally with a group of street thugs called the Dragon Fangs. The one trying to lead the agreement had one of those Pathfinder wayfinder things, but I couldn't get a good look at it."
With that, Yrishi slinks down one of the alleyways before turning her head to tell the party. "C'mon, it's a bit of a trek!"
Assuming the party follows their adorable guide, but you can ask more questions during the journey!
As the group moves, Yrishi spends more time chatting up Gob, Aspex, and Marduk than anyone else, but she does ask a question to the others.
@Gob:
"So how does that staff thing work? Those snake heads are awesome! Do you need it to cast spells?"
@Aspex:
"So what are you, I mean, you don't look like normal human. Does that help power your magic? What's your favorite spell?"
@Marduk:
"You're pretty beefy to be a wizard, so what kind of magic do you cast? You look sorta like some of these monks that come by, from the Shinjuku Temple of Irori, does he grant you your magic?"
Hakime:
"So are you the same as Aspex? You look sorta similar, yet different. Not folk I've seen before."
@Wyeth:
"Why were you so quiet before? Are you just the hired muscle with the group?"
Gob grins when he finds out how long Yrishi has been down here. She may prove to be very useful, he thinks to himself.
As the walk down the tunnels Gob takes the time to explain his staff to Yrishi. "This is actually a staff dedicated to Neyths the god of magic. While it does have the ability to cast one spell, I do not need it to cast my own spells," the half orc explains. "Now you said you saw one of those Pathfinder wayfinder things? What do you know about Pathfinders?"
