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Working together, Daxter and Rathen scour through the crowds in effort to seek the person named Falrig. His name moves around a lot and it doesn't take much to identify the individual. Toward the back of the room stands a gray-haired man in his early fifties, dressed in fine silken robes and flanked by two muscular guards. The man nervously fingers a small silver coin, flipping it about in his fingers. This nervous man is Falrig Sneve, an eclectic, wealthy, and extremely superstitious merchant and artifact collector from the Capital District
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Valrar ducks away into a secluded corner, and his form twists into that of a formally dressed half-elf with completely different hair, face, and build. He returns to where he saw Sloan and looks to subtly provoke the man into spilling the beans. "Am I supposed to know who you are?" Some small-timer, no doubt," he drawls arrogantly. "So what brings you to this auction, when you have not a prayer at securing the artifact? What is your angle, that would make you feel worthy of my presence?"
The cathedral’s sexton calls everyone’s attention “The pre-auction gala has ended; all must leave the cathedral immediately. Thank you for attending and we’ll see many of you back here for the auction.”
You return to the Heidmarch Mansion. The theater is filled with your fellow Pathfinders, all buzzing with excitement. Sheila Heidmarch, raises her hands and quiets the room before speaking. “Well my colleagues, I trust you were successful this evening? Anyone have information to share? Let’s see some hands.”
A dwarf clad in full plate with a great hammer on his back calls out ”Aye, we met Rinks, a halfling who said he was acting on behalf of one of his clients. We found out that he has spent the last few months here in Magnimar betting on the bullfights at the Matador’s Lodge. He was not as lucky as most of his kind and has run up a sizable debt with the lodge’s owner, Master Basaale Minvandu. The halfling is staying in the Old Fang Inn”
A couple of humans push a grippli forward ”Quon here also has to report something” they say. The grippli turns a brighter shade of green and then softly starts speaking ”I am afraid we made a bit of a mess at the gala. That Chelaxian woman, Zimandi Kaddren, found out that we are with the Pathfinder Society and she immediately stormed off in anger, saying that she would take every effort to outbid the Society at the auction.” The grippli seems to have found his voice as he continues ”We asked around and we discovered that her parents vanished during an expedition to a mysterious fortress known as Viperwall in central Varisia. I think that she blames the disappearance of her parents upon the Pathfinder Society.”
A famous halfling jumps on a table ”I am Lem and I can report that the curator of the Museum of Ages is also interested in the artifact! Doctor Landis has secured a donation for the key. He thinks it is an item of great historical significance, and that it was created by Emperor Xin to unlock a temple of seven paradises. I would have expected that Nigel Aldain of the Blakros museum would also be present, but I did not see him. That is all for me!”
A human woman calls out, the symbol of Iomedae obvious on the buckler that she has strapped to her left arm. On the same hip she has an Aldori duelling sword. ”I talked to two women dressed in travellers’ outfits. Both had with thick Varisian accents. They introduced themselves as ‘the Duchesses’ and said they live in Ordellia where they work as caravan guards. Beyond that, they had little to say.”
A servant rushes in and hands Sheila Heidmarch a note ”Give me a moment, this is probably important, otherwise Jacob here would not have disturbed us”. She reads the note and briefly ponders it for a moment.
“Well, my friends, it seems Desna smiles upon us. My sources have just informed me that the Aspis Consortium has fewer funds than we first imagined. Thus, they have sent word to an ally in Korvosa to ship them more gold. Fortunately, I still have a few spies in Korvosa. A few days ago, the Consortium hired a Varisian caravan to carry a sizable shipment of gold to Magnimar, presumably to help them secure the Runecarved Key’s purchase.”
“The caravan was traveling along the Yondabakari River and should be nearing the outskirts of the city in a few hours. I need you to ride out to the caravan before it gets within sight of the city walls and ensure that gold never reaches the Aspis Consortium at Bronze House. Take whatever gold you can, but try not to draw attention to yourselves as Pathfinders. It’s bandit territory out there anyway, so caravan raids aren’t uncommon. That said, rest assured the caravan will be armed. As soon as you’re finished, hurry back here. We don’t want Maiveer Sloan to catch on to our plot. I’ll send a white raven to signal you to return before the situation becomes too risky.”
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~~~Before the Gala ended~~~
"I don't believe I have anything to prove to you. Are you here to bid on something? Why you’re all a bunch of cheap criminals. Don’t you just take what you want?" He blatantly accuses. "I despise this place, I only came to see what fools are stupid enough to bid on a stupid key to a lock long lost to time."
He has made an assumption of who you are, and he keeps his true motives hidden. He clearly has some interest in being here."
The lady laughs lightly at the conversation. "That must be nice, to be able to wander as you please. Well, if you must know, I'm here to settle a score with a viperous organization. Yes, you must have heard of them, the awful... Pathfinders! They caused the disappearance of my parents, and I'm certain to see them fail today." Before she leaves, you are able to ascertain her name as one Zimandi Kaddren
You bid your farewells to your new acquaintances, and head over immediately to the manor.
~~~Current Time~~~
Following Heidmarch’s marching orders, you immediately head out into the darkness of the night by foot to intercept the caravan. You follow the Yondabakari route, which eventually leads into the Varisian Forest. A place filled with lush greenery, especially pine and redwood trees, for miles to come. Several miles into your hike outside of the city walls, a side trail branches off and away from the Yondabakari and winds south into a forest of ancient evergreens. A faint glowing light in the distance attracts your attention. Off to the side of the path, nestled into a deep pocket of spruces, sleeps a small Varisian caravan, only two wagons strong.
A small campfire has been lit to keep the travellers warm in the cold of the night. A few men, presumably those that travel with the wagon, sleep around the fire. From afar you believe you note a single person scouting the immediate vicinity of the encampment, and he moves around in no discernable pattern.
An open wagon with sleeping people rest closer to the road, inside it are small cartons of goods, likely rations and supplies, and one large cage which seems to hold a creature within it. Another covered wagon rest further out from the road.
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The large creature in the cage is an ugly creature has a boar-like head with short antlers, a thick bullish body covered in spines, and cloven hooves on its stumpy legs.
The catoblepas is an aggressive beast at the best of times, willing to knock down trees, fences, even small houses to eat whatever it finds interesting, be that meal plant or animal or human being. Though it prefers swamps, the catoblepas has been known to forage in plains and forests for short periods before returning to the buoyant support of water and mud. Few creatures linger near a catoblepas's feeding ground because of the monster's bad temper and poisonous breath, and only rot-loving predators such as oozes or exceptionally large otyughs have any interest in hunting them.
The Varisian Mercenary sleeping around the fire are armed with a rapier and composite longbow each.
Two bolded men, only armed with quarterstaffs, which they use as hugging pillows, sleep soundly in the open wagon.
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"They have the symbol of the Aspis Consortium painted on the wagon wheels. Not very subtle."
"The two men with staves are wizards, I'm sure. Bet they'll have some abjuration magic to protect the caravan."
"I want to get up close, and I'm sure Valrar and Ursus do too. Let me see if there's any magic warding the area first," Rathen says, and quietly casts Detect Magic. He's looking some kind of magic alarm.
He looks over to Daxter and asks, "Any tricks up your sleeve? I've traveled with wizards before, and some tricks around Invisibility would be helpful."
Once everyone is ready the rogue casts Silence (using a trick from his PrC) and sneaks towards the guard, timing it so his back is turned.
He then tries to make the guard rue the day he was born.
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Into the minds of all present, the Ambassador projects the Varisian mercenary cutting through a jungle to show their specialty. Another picture flashes of the catoblepas living in a swamp, breathing poison,
Valrar morphs into a wayang at the first sign of danger and treads forward in Rathen's wake. He also takes a swing with his blade, an adamantine scimitar that doesn't look too threatening.
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Valrar knows that additionally Catoblepas are known to be relatively resistant to magical effects.
Rathen, and Valrar move silently through the shrubbery unnoticed by the wandering guard. The rest stand ready from afar should anything go wary. The mercenary is momentarily confused as the world around him has lost all sound, but before he is able to do anything, the Pathfinders pounce upon him, striking down on him hard with their weapons, killing him swiftly in the process.
Rathen is able to discover that the covered caravan has the alarm spell casted on an object inside it. The rest of the caravan party continues to sleep soundly, unaware of the Pathfinder's presence.
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Valrar tries to speak and gesticulates accordingly, something along the lines of "Anyone who can disarm that thing, we'll cover you," but remembers no one can hear him. He appears to swear, then points to his sword and at the sleeping people while looking quizzical, as if to ask who, if anyone, is next.
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As is somewhat typical of Rathen, the impulsive rogue executes on a brilliant starting plan but forgets details he needs to go forward. If only I'd asked Daxter to dispel the magical alarm he thinks to himself.
He shrugs, sees Bishop's signal, and pulls out a sap. With his gladius he gestures to the flat side of the blade (indicating nonlethal) for Valrar to see, and then points to one of the sleeping men (brown). When he sees that Valrar is ready, he sneaks over to the man to hit the man with as much nonlethal damage as it takes, tag-teaming with the swashbuckler.
He stops the moment it appears that some of this might be leaving a permanent mark.
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Valrar and Rathen, with the aid of the silence and invisibility, continue to take out the goons one by one in the darkness of the night. With absolutely no noise, the plan goes almost flawlessly, as the enemy falls one by one. However, communication under the guise of silence and invisibility seems almost like an impossible task, and the time wasted there causes the spells to run out.
And just like that, Rathen reappears in full view under the moon, just as the fourth mercenary is taken out. The rustling of the leaves can be heard under them. The rest of the caravan party is still unaware and sleep soundly for the time being, but a overwhelming smell comes over Rathen and Valrar the closer they get to the open wagon.
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Bishop calmly draws a slew of arrows, and let's fly with dispassion and precision. He targets the Aspis wizard, hoping to silence him before he can bring any magic to bear.
Rapid shot, many shot, and
Deadly Aim:
for
for
for
for
If the wizard drops, he'll switch to the guard in black.
"Timber! Attack!"
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Being in an unwell state doesn't hold back Valrar as he stabs another Mercenary till he falls to an unconscious state, likely from succumbing to his wounds.
Out of the band of merry mercenaries, only one remains. Startled already by the pain, he grabs his arms and picks himself up in order to retaliate against Timber.
~~~
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The air is filled with divine blessings as Dove calls upon for it.
Clearly hearing the sounds of a fight ensuing, and seeing a body lie wasted alongside him, the Aspis wizard immediately stands up and releases the creature. "Who is there! Identify yourselves!"
The creature immediately sets it's sight upon Valrar and Rathen, and tramples across them.
~~~
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Avoiding harm from the trampling with quick reflexes, Rathen moves to engage the last mercenary, swiftly putting him down with some lightning moves using his galdius.
The wagon drivers are startled away and pick up some sturdy pieces of wood as they pick themselves up. The sight of blood everyone has them shaken up. The one next to Timber waves it around aimlessly in Timbers direction attempting to protect himself. "AHHH Monster!!" Meanwhile the other one looks around cautiously and readies himself in event someone approaches him.
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Valrar does not seem surprised as Ursus looks to hold the catoblepas with his bare hands. The more powerful we get, the more natural laws we seem to break...never gets old. Also noticing that the muscular man is on the other side of the beast, he takes advantage of its split concentration with several rapid slices.
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Bishop's flurry of arrows are deadly and accurate. With majority of them finding point and killing the wizard.
With the Aspis man taken down, Bishop guides his wolf to attend to the large wild creature. As Timber makes his approach, the magical beast attempts to bite at him, but Timber's nimble moves manages to barely avoid the attack. Retaliating the wolf bites the beast hard and takes him to the ground.
As Ursus makes his approach, the scared wagon driver swings his stick hard at him! But of course, the weak stick bounces off Ursus stiff body as he pounces on the grapple the prone creature.
Valrar takes advantage of the situation and delivers a few fatal wounds into the creature. However after the second stab, he gets complacent and misses his aim completely.
~~~