GM Baveyo - Among the Living PbP
A week ago, you were seated in the main hall of the Grand Lodge of Absalom, waiting for the arrival of Absalom’s newest venture-captain,a tall, dark-haired and olive-skinned Varisian woman named Eliza Petulengro. Renowned for her composure under pressure and the author of more than two dozen PathfinderChronicles entries, she appeared in the hall suddenly, a stack of chronicles in her arms, and looked you over before speaking.
“My greatest pupil, Pathfinder Bodriggan Wuthers, has gone missing. He followed a cleric contact back to Wuthers’s home city of Oppara to work on a massive dig beneath the House of theImmortal Son, Oppara’s famed opera house and once temple to the dead god, Aroden.
"That was a year ago. He sent monthly reports, hoping to see their publication in a chronicle, before all contact dried up a few months back. I’m worried something
has gone wrong, and the Society has a vested interest in the artifact he was researching and seeking.
"We want you to travel to Oppara and find Wuthers. We’d like to know exactly what he was seeking, too, since he neglected to inform us through his monthly correspondence. He hinted only that the cleric of Irori he was working with told him the object was the world’s
greatest ‘living’ artifact—whatever that means.
“I have a few tidbits of information to pass to you before you go: the House of the Immortal Son is nearly impossible to access. It took Wuthers months and countless bribes to
get where he did. For you, I have a much simpler idea. Go to an opera, wait for an opportunity, and then exploit it to find Wuthers and his dig site.
“Be sure to wear something festive — the Taldan nobility are arrogant on their best days and if you arrive at the opera dressed like that,” she waves her hands at you, “they’ll surely lose your tickets or regret to inform you that the opera house is oversold.
“Go and report back to me directly upon your return to Absalom, unless you have any questions.”
Knowledge Checks
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"I always knew the Society would have me journey back to my home of Taldor eventually. Although I haven't seen the capital city since my youth, there is no doubt it is the same decaying gem as I remember; may Abadar restore its luster."
"It seems Wuthers garnered quite the reputation for himself as an adventurer amongst the Society's ranks...it must have been true peril to have caused him to go missing. Mistress Petulengro, can you tell us any more about the Garls Harp that Wuthers had found, could it have anything to do with his disappearance?"
Eliza Petulengro cocks her head at Castoris. "Hmm... I don't think the Garls Harp has anything to do with this. But I'm not too sure what he went looking for. So, maybe.
"I'm sure when you find him, whatever he went looking for will turn up. He has a way of getting himself in trouble, if you know what I mean."
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A well-tanned half-elf with an unusually bulbous head places his hand to his chin. "Hmm. I find it hard to believe a man who survived the charau-ka can manage to get himself lost in an opera. I can vouch for that first hand." He shrugs. "But then again, it would be nice to adventure in civilization again. And I hear Oppara has an exceptional library within it once we are done."
The half-elf extends his hand to the half-orc beside him. "Barnaby Rockford, paranormal researcher. And you?"
Snapping his fingers before a response, Barnaby brusquely turns back towards the venture captain. "Oh, and did Wuthers' reports mention the nature of the artifact. Beside it maybe being organic of course."
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As you all waited for your orders in the main hall, a striking young woman swept swiftly into the room accompanied by the bright cheery sound of bells jingling softly with her every step. She seemed familiar somehow, but that fact alone struck you as odd considering her unique appearance. She was of average height and slender build and she moved with the poise and grace of an accomplished dancer. Her dress was a rainbow of pastels made in the Varisian style of a light filmy fabric that fluttered showily on the air as she moved. Her hair was a bright shade of blue. Her eyebrows and lashes were blue as well, albeit a darker shade, leading you to guess this was her natural coloring, strange though it may seem. Her features were finely boned and lovely with a warm glow in her cobalt eyes. She smiled and nodded to each of you in greeting and took her seat to wait, but as she settled into stillness, her long, sky-colored tresses continued to swim around her shoulders like a diaphanous cloud stirred by some phantom breeze. Overall, she had a quality of ethereal beauty and grace about her.
As Eliza Petulengro mentioned Oppara she leaned forward in her chair and clasped her hands together eagerly, an excited gleam in her cyan eyes. Wait a moment, weren't her eyes different just a moment ago... I was sure...
Her face falls somewhat as the VC criticizes your clothing and she looks down at herself with a dissapointed frown. "But I always dress festive..." She mutters softly and then sighs, "Ah well, it looks like some shopping is in order. But then we get to see an opera! In Oppara! So exciting! The House of the Immortal Son is like holy land to performers like myself. I'm Azura, by the way, but you might know me better by my stage name, bluedove."
And then it comes to you, the reason such an odd looking woman seems so familiar to you. You have seen her likeness on billing posters around Absalom proclaiming her a songstress with the voice of a celestial. In fact, she looks as if she may indeed have celestial blood herself.
"Um, my longspear would be OK, if I put some ribbons or doilies on it, right? I don't mix much with the fancy fops."
Grinning in amusement, Azura tries to reassure the nervous looking half-orc. "Don't worry, if someone needs to sweet-talk the Taldan nobility, I'll be happy to perform in that capacity. But if it makes you feel better..." She reaches down to her leather whip coiled at her hip which is positively festooned with colorful ribbons and unwinds a few strands of blue and green ribbon with nimble fingers and then loops them decoratively around the haft of his longspear and ties them in fanciful bow. "There. How is that, then?" She said, giving him a friendly smile.
She listens interestedly as everyone shares some helpful tidbits regarding their mission, feeling confident that she would be working with such a well informed group and looking forward to getting started.
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The halfling in the room waves at everyone to greet them as they enter. Shield and bow on the back, axe on her belt, this small hazel-eyed warrior had her share of adventuring already, but she hungers for more.
Her eyes race around the room as people speak, and she seems to be muttering to herself all the time. She sighs softly when people are talking about the House of the Immortal Son, but keeps on scanning the faces of the speakers. When everyone is done talking, she addresses Eliza: "Can you give us the last few messages you got from him? Perhaps there could be some sort of indication we could use..."
When Azura ties ribbons to the half-orc's weapon, she can't help but let out a quiet giggle.
"This should be fun."
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Castoris chuckles softly to himself at the sight of Jormond's spear adorned now with colored ribbons similar to Taldor's heraldry.
"Inquisitor Nee does makes a good point, most of us" nodding to Azura "will need to do some updating to our fineries to blend in with the nobility there if we are going to have a chance at attending the opera and gaining access to this House of the Immortal Son."
"It is fortunate that the City at the Center of the World has anything you desire if you know where to look."
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"Inquisitor Nee does makes a good point, most of us" nodding to Azura "will need to do some updating to our fineries to blend in with the nobility there if we are going to have a chance at attending the opera and gaining access to this House of the Immortal Son."
"A solid point," Barnaby agrees. "But there's proper and there's fashionable. Do we at least know the performance currently showing there. Is it some Chelish Opera? A High Azlanti tragedy? Or one of those imported Tian Xia productions? It could help to get our outfits right: you wouldn't wear a fine green suit to a funeral would you?"
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"I swear these nobles just complicate things. Do I really have to buy one of those fancy clothes again?"
She looks at the unarmored half-elf in the room. "You - Barnaby, is it? Hi. I'm Nergi." She offers a quick handshake. "You seem to know - is there a norm we should work with, or ..."
She realises something, squints her eyes and raises a finger - as if to tell Barnaby to wait for a tiny bit, then quickly turns to Eliza: "When are we leaving? Do we have time to visit a tailor?"
Eliza looks at the half-orc. "Ribbons on long spears. What will your lot do next? I suggested finer attire for the event or else the nobles in attendance may not be... as forthcoming with information if you tend to investigate with questions. And I suspect that you all would not be able to access some areas of the opera house without looking the part. But it surely is up to you."
She turns to Barnarby, annoyed at the snapping in her presence. "No. I do not know the nature of the object. Wuthers did not reveal such information yet. I'm certain he would had in his updates and correspondence, but they have recently been abent. Thus, my concern."
Hearing Nergi's request for Wuthers' past reports, Eliza hands a few over. You all scan through them, but find little help from them, other than Wuthers thought he was heading toward a big find - one that would put him on all Pathfinders' lips for quite sometime.
”Which opera? Well, Among the Living, of course. The performance you are seeing is its debut, but I hear it’s a fine opera with music, vocals, and dancing. But to which attire to wear for this production? Ha! Unless you have some nobility in your blood, I hardly think many will take note of you. Especially, since you are sitting in … how do they say… the cheap seats.”
Eliza informs you that you will have a week to travel to Taldor in time for the show. Your expenses for travel will be covered by the society. ”Be safe, Pathfinders. Find Wuthers and what he was looking for. Thank you.” Eliza walks away, back to her previous business at the Lodge.
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The well-tanned and weathered half-orc bears a prominent birthmark on the forehead and around one eye. Though naturally irregular, it is hard not to see it as a butterfly. He wears heavy, well-tended armor, and carries a wide assortment of weapons and gear on his person: from a long-spear, to rope to a spiked gauntlent. Besides the birthmark, there is nothing about him other than efficient practicality.
The half-elf extends his hand to the half-orc beside him. "Barnaby Rockford, paranormal researcher. And you?"
"Jormond Nee: warrior and priest in the service of Desna. Pleased to meet you." he says gruffly.
She reaches down to her leather whip coiled at her hip which is positively festooned with colorful ribbons and unwinds a few strands of blue and green ribbon with nimble fingers and then loops them decoratively around the haft of his longspear and ties them in fanciful bow. "There. How is that, then?" She said, giving him a friendly smile.
"Thank you lady Azura." But he looks at his longspear doubtfully.
"You seem to know - is there a norm we should work with, or ..."
"The open road is my domain. I too will have to rely on Barnaby and Azura for what to wear, and where to get it. All this talk about clothes-- it makes me afraid that our armor won't be appropriate. Assuming there will be danger at the dig -- and I always assume there will be danger-- we may need some magical replacement. Desna has given me a little defensive protection, but I can't apply it to others.
If we bought a wand could anyone use it?"
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"You and me both, Jormond. Hi! Ugh - I had to get a dress on my last mission, too. I thought it would be useless after that, so I gave it away."
The halfling seems to be in deep thought for a moment, not paying attention to others. Her eyes suddenly widen and she almost jumps into the air.
"I'll pay an illusionist to make me a dress that can be ANY dress! Hah!"
She comes back to her senses in the middle of Jormond's talk on protection.
"Magical protection? Why? I dare anyone to try an take off my armor. I'll wear my dress over it. The armor isn't loose, anyway. I doubt anyone will notice."
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Barnaby stiffens a bit at Eliza's jab at their ticket type. "They could see us or not, but if your going to do a job it might as well be done well."
The half-elf scratches his oversized head and mutters to himself. "A debut performance means impossible to tell what the full themes are. Still, 'Among the Living' doesn't exactly scream upbeat comedy. A black base would likely blend in best. Splash of blue too: it's due for a resurgence this season."
If we bought a wand could anyone use it?"
"Is it armor? then yes, I could tap into it if you need. I myself think the halfling may have a point. Fashion tempered with a does of pragmatism should do."
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Eliza looks at the half-orc. "Ribbons on long spears. What will your lot do next? I suggested finer attire for the event or else the nobles in attendance may not be... as forthcoming with information if you tend to investigate with questions. And I suspect that you all would not be able to access some areas of the opera house without looking the part. But it surely is up to you."
Azura's cheeks flush slightly under the pointed scrutiny of the irritable VC. But she merely shrugs, smiling apologetically, "Everything is improved by a little color..." Clearly the woman was upset over her missing protege, it wouldn't do to hold it against her.
Once they had left the meeting with the prickly Venture Captain, she fell in beside Barnaby and resumed her previous enthusiasm. "So an operatic debut! That's simply splendid. Perhaps we should wait until we've arrived and conform to the current Taldan fashions, then? We could kill two birds with one stone, as they say, seeing as merchants and shopkeepers are generally up on the latest gossip and their tongues flap shamelessly if they think it will cause your coin to flow."
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When they make their shopping trip, she happily guides Jormond about, swishing through the crowds ahead of him and holding up various shirts and jackets up to his chest to compare the shade of the garment to his coloring and the cut to his build. She clucks her tongue dismissively and returns things to the rack that displease her with comments like, "Oh no, definitely not that one, it washes you out completely!" or "Not bad, but the collar is too high, you'll be tugging at it the whole performance." Before long, he notices that her eyes seem to behave like mood gems. The color becomes more clouded or drab looking the less she likes the garment in question and clearer and more saturated the happier she is with the selection, but always remaining some shade of blue. Finally her eyes turn a shining sapphire tone above a bright smile and she proclaims, "Aha! Perfect! This one complements your complexion and brings out your eyes." Just when he was feeling relief to be done with this chore, she announces, "And now for the jewelry!"
While they shop, she makes a point of voicing her opinion loudly to draw the sellers to her and casually makes conversation about the upcoming opera and a friend she was hoping to reconnect with while they were in town.
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Having purchased her glamerous sleeves , the halfling follows the party as they shop for the so called fashionable clothing. She wanders the merchant stalls and looks at various colour and material combinations on display, gathering inspiration for her own outfit.
Clueless in the matter, she decides to at least be representative of her homeland and clan, and puts on the sleeves. She focuses for a while, and her clothes change to an expensively looking dress - navy blue being the dominant colour, with sunset red sleeves, and a bit of silver lining.
"Will this do?"
While shopping/gathering information you hear various merchants and patrons discuss the upcoming operatic debut with excitement and intrigue. You learn that the opera is an epic tale of a lone Ulfen warrior named Victory who sails to the ends of Golarion, crashes off the edge of the world, and finds himself in a gothic paradise where he falls in love with the undead queen of a jungle kingdom.
Alas, no one seems to have heard or seen of anyone by the name of Wuthers or match any description you hint at.
Dressed in your new apparel and looking quite dapper (ribbons and all), the five of you walk into the opera house through the Green Entrance (to the North). This rather plain, marbled hallway is filled with simple granite pillars. The floor is split by a bright green carpet, indicating that this entrance is reserved for commoners when they are allowed to attend. You show your tickets to an usher, and he looks you all up and down before showing you to your seats. The usher flashes an obvious air of disdain for the group, or perhaps he simply wants to serve only nobility tonight.
The performance begins, and the group watches the dancers on stage, the people in the audience, and search for anything that could help them with their mission.
As yet another twirling dancer in a brown costume festooned with bright pink, flowing silk scarves spins across the jungle set at the front of the stage, the orchestra reaches a screeching crescendo that crashes the entire opera to a halt. The dancers stand quietly for a moment, breathing heavily and listening to the scattered applause across the obviously bored Taldan audience. Suddenly, a sound like a thousand gongs shakes the entire building to its very foundation and the audience murmurs in a mixture of delight and fear. The actors and orchestra, however, flee the stage, disappearing behind the curtains.
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Azura's own dress was a deep plum with emerald green details that flared at the sleeves and hem. It was a good deal more sedate than she typically wore, but the rich color made her golden-kissed complexion seem to glow. Her new amulet was nestled in the hollow of her throat and looked much like an onyx stone, but was actually polished horn of some creature.
She entered the House of the Immortal Son with shining, hungry eyes and an air of quiet reverence and barely contained anticipation. Her gaze roamed over every inch of the famous opera house as if trying to memorize every facet of the place.
She took her seat as close to the stage as she could and sat forward eagerly as the opera began.
As a performer herself, Azura had a penchant for virtually every genre of performance artistry. But soon she had slumped back into her seat and was supporting her chin in her hand, her eyes such a dull color they were nearly the color of slate. At an interlude she turned to her nearest comrade and said with a sigh, "Well, this is surprising, frankly. Not what I was expecting at all. Do you think they are having an off night?"
She kept hoping that things would improve all the way up to the end but alas, it was not to be. As a terrible cacophony shuddered the opera house, a look of concern painted her face and her eyes turned ice blue in alarm. She rose from her seat and stepped into the aisle, drawing her bow. She met the eyes of her fellow pathfinders and said in a low warning tone. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
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Barnaby sits, mildly bored as the first act of the performance unfolds. Dancing is dancing to him, but when the aasimar pulls out a bow and stands and Castoris suddenly adopts a guarded stance the half-elf begins fiddling with his cane.
"What, is the performance really that bad?" Barnaby whispers as he slides between the late-arriving Blakros and Azura.
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When they make their shopping trip, she happily guides Jormond about, swishing through the crowds ahead of him and holding up various shirts and jackets up to his chest to compare the shade of the garment to his coloring and the cut to his build....
Jormond endures the shopping trip with soldierly stoicism. At the end he thanks Azura quite formally. "Without your assistance I would have surely failed in this aspect of the mission."
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At the opera Jormond sits forward in his seat, his heavy brow knit in concentration.
He wispers accross the isle to the halfling, "I fear I'm missing what's interesting about this."
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Nergi notices Jormond leaning towards her, turn her heads towards him and quielty mumbles as he speaks.
She then leans back towards him, shrugs and speaks out: "Eh - The colours are nice, I guess.", she pauses, and looks around. She notices Azura's posture. "Even Azura seems bored. And she was looking forward to this place. Something seems off."
She doesn't whisper, however, so a few heads in the crowd turn with disappointed looks on their faces.
Moments after the gong, all the doors leading into the theatre crash open and a horde of zombies rush in (well as fast as zombies can), immediately attacking any nobles too shocked to run. However, your group has friends of your own that have come in right behind you!
Four walking corpses wearing clothes similar to local commoners come out of the door right behind you. They are followed by a larger walking corpse that looks similar to the remains of a bugbear. All have their arms outstretched and moving toward your group with moans and guttural noises.
Yvette points to the approaching zombies and creates a pit underneath them.
The zombie with the blue garb is able to hobble a jump with its deteriorating legs. The rest, including the bugbearish corpse fall in.
Ooff!! They all crash at the bottom of the pit. They attempt to climb out, but merely scratch the sides of the pit’s walls.
Castoris gets a solid hit on the zombie. It gets a bit rattled, but then turns to Castoris and attacks.
But misses. You hear sounds coming from Yvette's magical pit, but nothing is creeping out yet.
Nergi steps behind the blue zombie and makes a mess of him with her axe. Hack! Splash! No more blue zombie…
However, Nergi has turned her back on the pit and doesn’t notice that it’s sloped.
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Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.
If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw one.
So my question is, can I draw an alchemist's flask (which I do carry on my person for quick access, not my pack) as a free action combined with a move? If not, I'll just move and draw the flask.
"Zombies! Thank goodness!" Jormond exclaims without thinking.
Azura's eyes flashed steely as she turns and sees blasphemous undead in the House of the Immortal Son. "No! Who has done this? This is hallowed ground, for Aroden's sake!"
She stalked angrily toward the pit, her bell-anklets jingling abruptly as she drew a flask from her belt. Never going to see a better opportunity to use this... she thought grimly. She stopped as close as she could without impeding her comrades and flung the flask into the pit, aiming for the bugbear looking undead.
Barnaby moves up to the pit with sword cane ready. Jormond, impressed by Barnaby’s tactic, does the same with his falchion. Azura, unhappy with the desecration of the opera or formal temple, or whatever she’s blabbering about as her bells jingle in frustration, throws a flask of alchemist fire into the pit. Splash! The fire breaks out in the pit, and all down there light up. The stank of rotting flesh burning fills the area.
The zombies and bugbear attempt to get out of the pit again, but fail, merely reaching up with their arms toward the delicious, warm flesh they dearly grave.
Nergi makes a quip toward Castrois and forgets the dangers of ending her turn by the slopped edges of the pit.
But it gives her no troubles after all.
Jormond hurls a flask down the pit, and it explodes on the bugbear, dousing the other unfortunate souls in the pit with flames. The bugbear looks like he is about to fall apart, literally, and won’t last long after the current blast of fire.