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The Blakros Museum rises into the night sky, its single black spire severing the full moon in twain. The black iron gates surrounding the exhibition hall grind in protest against the wind. Beyond, the museum’s large oaken doors stand wide open, a silver-gray mist belching forth from the cavernous darkness within. You wonder how you ended up here, standing at the precipice of unknown terrors, and instantly Venture-Captain Adril Hestram’s wide looming face is conjured into your minds’ eye. His booming words ring out from memory as clearly as he spoke them only one hour ago:
“The Blakros Museum is cursed. Some darkness has descended upon the place and those who enter are blasted with evil and left raving through its halls, more beast than men. The curator, Nigel Aldain, is an old associate of the Society, though he chose to leave our organization some years back after a disagreement.” Adril looked sheepish then, as if remembering some distasteful incident from his youth.
“Nigel has long denied the Society access to the Blakros Museum’s considerable collection of relics and scrolls, using his extensive contacts to nab several excellent finds right out from under us... he always had a nose for the hunt. Whatever is past between Nigel and the Society, he needs our help now. Perhaps if we can come to his aid, he may think on rejoining the Pathfinder Society, or at least offering to share his discoveries with us.”
“Apparently the trouble at Blakros Museum began this morning, shortly after a wayward Pathfinder named Lugizar Trantos returned to Absalom after months spent in the Mwangi Expanse. Supposedly, instead of coming straight to the Lodge to report in, he went to Blakros, sold his finds to Nigel, and then disappeared with a hefty sum of gold. The few who glimpsed Lugizar claimed he was much changed by his time in the Mwangi... gaunt, his eyes yellowed and unfocused, a strange rasping cough that seemed to wrack his now wasted frame. Whatever he brought back with him, we believe it is the cause of the Blakros Museum’s ills. Root it out.”
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The sharply dressed but slightly disreputable and roguish looking Galtan fellow in naval attire adjusts his tricorne, ensuring the cockade is well presented, he hums the national anthem of his native homeland. He pours out a few glasses of red wine for him and his fellows and offers about some fresh bread, and soft cheese...
"Captain Blackjack of The Raven, I see I have arrived just in time freshly back from Rahadoum in service to Andoran, and now ready for this new venture"
Diplomacy
Know Hist or Local
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Graciously accpeting some wine and cheese from Blackjack stands a young tengu of a strong build. From his beak hangs a cheap silver medallion of a dragon over a pool, on his back, a sword almost bigger than the tengu himself.
"And that's when I said of course we went the wrong way, that Dwarf had the map!" Looking over His shoulder, he realized once again his friend has disappeared.
"Well met sire Blackjack" as his attention finally focuses on his new companion, "You also ascribe to the values of freedom, I see."
Before Blackjack can respond, Giradoux walks a little distance away, sprinkles some ashes and starts a complex ritual.
"You summoned Me, Master?" asks the summoned creature that looks strangly like a centaur
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"Well met sire Blackjack" as his attention finally focuses on his new companion, "You also ascribe to the values of freedom, I see."
"Ahh Comrade, freedom and liberty it is...'liberte, fraternity, egalite', such good principles. I too wonder where the others are, perhaps distracted by all the joys of Absalom."
Blackjack relaxes and settles in with the wine and cheese.
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"Ahh Comrade, freedom and liberty it is...'liberte, fraternity, egalite', such good principles. I too wonder where the others are, perhaps distracted by all the joys of Absalom."
"It's those damn Venture Captains and their teleport magic. Don't they know they have to actually know where they're trying to teleport people too."
Giradox settles down by Blackjack, then looks at his new companion
"Blackjack, they call you, eh? Have you heard of the Glories of Lord Apsu? Since we have time let me show you these pamphlets I have created extorting all to follow the God above Gods"
Giradoux takes out a shabby pamphlet written in Tengu and passes it to Blackjack.
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A dark tan woman, wearing breastplate walks in. A scimitar is strapped to her hip with a shield slung across her back. A symbol if Sarenrae hung from her neck and is emblazoned on her armor over her heart. She listen to the mission at hand, Sarenrae will help us vanquish this darkness and bring back the light.
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Blackjack appears to be confused by the Tengu script, "Not something I studied in Galt" but he continues with the picnic "My crew and I have only just returned from the lands of Rahadoum, and the Pure Legion Enforcers were not kind when it came to matters of the faith, one of our number was a faithful servant of Sarenrae and she was forced to subterfuge. Myself I am not familiar with Lord Apsu, I spend my time avoiding the attention of the Gods, for their good will is too easy to lose and ends in disaster on the high seas" he offers jovially, he offers our more cheese and wine to the new arrival "Whilst we wait"
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Another Pathfinder enters the room, saying, "Apologies for my late arrival, I've been stuck in the desert for some time, and then as soon as I returned to Absalom I was sent out again."
The man is older than many Pathfinders of his relatively low rank and dressed simply, in faded grey robes, his only extravagance a beautiful bow of black wood extending over his right shoulder. His coloring – the bronzed skin and brown hair – indicate his Taldan birth, and his neatly trimmed beard marks him as being of the noble blood of that land. But his calm, focused demeanor is very different from the typical scheming, simpering attendee of the court of Grand Prince Stavian III, and it is clear he has left that life behind.
He takes in the simple but elegant repast laid out before them and raises an eyebrow, commenting, "My, my, has civilization at last imposed itself on the Society? Thank you, to whoever has provided this." He lifts a glass of wine and holds it up to the light, studying its color, before saying with a slight smile, "I gave up such pleasures behind when I left Court, and I have not regretted it - but the occasional reminder of them does no harm. I am Prothero Crace."
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"And you are most welcome monsieur Crace, I find all to often my comrades are waiting impatiently for others to arrive and spend their time grinding both their axes and their teeth in their anticipation of the upcoming activity, whereas in Galt, we believe that every good occasion warrants a glass of wine, and every bad occasion warrants a glass of wine - the only difference being the size of the glass. And such a simple thing, a bit of cheese and bread to break it up and to share about, a welcome start to any activity and a nice way to meet ones new friends"
"Monsieur Floggentop I look forward to you bringing some more morale, hopefully we can keep ourselves on the up and up the whole time and engage what lies within with humour and laughter...do you know if we are expecting more guests to our party?"
With that, the Galtan sailor pulls on his Eagle Knight insignia and begins readying to go inside.
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My name is Kyra, sorry for being rude and not introducing myself. I would love a glass of wine, thank you, she nods and sips on the wine while she awaits the others.
When she sees everyone start to head in, she does the same. She straightens her armor and makes herself presentable to the Venture Captain.
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Prothero smiles at Jacques' response, saying, "Your view reminds me of many I knew at court, who loved wine and themselves to excess. I do hope we get on better than I did with them." His awkward expression shows that he recognizes this was not the most gracious thing to say, but he quickly hides it by taking another sip of wine, then settling his bow on his shoulder and making ready to enter the museum.
Walking next to Giradoux and unsheathing his bastard sword, Rowles lets out in a rumbling baritone, "Master, this reminds me of that time we got stuck in the Sewers. I think the only difference is the waste running through the sewers was cleaner."
The horrific crisis befalling the Blakros Museum occurs right before the Society is made aware of the situation and little time remains for them to research or investigate the incident before they are thrust into the misty interior of its idol-cursed exhibits. Adril does give the Pathfinders a map of the museum and suggests they head to the offices first to find Nigel as he may have some insight into whatever foul curse vexes the place.
The Blakros Museum
The Blakros Museum, in Absalom’s tremulous early years, was the stronghold of a wizard named Ralzeros the Overwatched. Ralzeros carved the building out of one solid block of volcanic stone by employing dark powers that some say were granted to him by patrons as alien as they were unscrupulous. Ralzeros gained infamy as a mad astrologer, building Blakros’ raised north wing (now a grand exhibit hall) as a giant observatory through which he studied distant worlds (and some say, was studied by them).
Eventually, Ralzeros disappeared after an argument turned mage-duel with Beldrin, another archmage of Absalom’s fledgling years. Rumors abounded that Beldrin had nothing to do with his vanishing, but rather whatever fell intellects
watched Ralzeros finally claimed him, and whisked the mad astrologer off to some distant burning world.
Ralzeros’ basalt orrery stood empty for a time until it was purchased by the Blakros family, a clan of eccentrics who make their fortune selling relics (and rumor has it, secrets) across the Qadiran-Taldan border. The Blakros family is immense and far-reaching. They seem to breed incessantly and produce mostly daughters who are all as fertile as their mothers. These daughters are the cornerstone of the Blakros fortune. Married far and wide, the ladies of the Blakros family are beautiful to the last, though joining them in wedlock bears a few stringent stipulations—they always keep their maiden name, and each child they rear must also be raised as a Blakros. Additionally, the Blakros family is gifted a dowry from the prospective husband’s family.
Rumored to be originally Taldan by blood, the Blakros have since mongreled their lineage with several marriages among Qadiran pashas, Vudran rajahs, and more than one Mwangi tribal chief. They gathered a sizeable collection of dowries and gifts from their vast extended family, which made up the original Blakros collection. The matriarchs eventually purchased far grander estates and turned the Ralzeroses’ basalt keep into a museum wherein they housed all manner of oddities and valuable antiquities they gathered both as dowries and then during the illustrious careers of those several daughters who turned their hand to the bawdy life of adventurer and trader. The women of Blakros are everywhere and their beauty loosens lips as well as native grips on ancient relics, thus supplying the family with their two favorite assets—secrets and exotic treasures.
The Blakros family has entrusted the museum’s maintenance and exhibitions to a revolving door of curators, the latest of which is Nigel Aldain, a former Pathfinder who now scorns the Society. Nigel married a daughter of Blakros—a beautiful half-Vudran girl named Dhrami—and was offered his position as part of the union. Nigel takes pride in his work and relishes every opportunity to slight the Society by snatching up great finds before Pathfinders can track them down (his extensive network of dispersed in-laws tip him off concerning many new discoveries all over Golarion).
The Pathfinders start off in the Atrium/Entrance, according to the map given to them by VC Adril Hestram.
Entrance and Atrium: An unnatural cold permeates this chamber and the tendrils of silver-gray mist flowing out the front archway into the courtyard beyond seem to effortlessly pierce the flesh and gently caress the bone in a cold embrace. The grand entranceway’s vaulted ceiling is supported by six great pillars of hewn black stone. Braziers mounted on the pillars cast white radiance from balls of continual light. The light glimmers eerily in the silvery haze that fills the atrium, giving the impression of something alien watching from the glowing fog.
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Blackjack looks inside and as he braces himself against the cold mist, pulling his cloak in tighter, he shares...
"So I heard from the sailors on my last journey as they told tall tales on long nights that it is believed much of the Mwangi’s darkest interior is ruled by a demon lord named Angazhan, who is described in an ancient text as a thing of primordial darkness, a foul-breathed demon who grunts prophecies of blood to apes and madmen. The jungle is his beating heart."
"I have also heard rumour that Lugizar Trantos spent the better part of a year in the Mwangi. At first he wrote letters to his brother and wife, but after a few months these stopped coming and most gave him up for dead. His letters spoke of a lucrative find at one point, three idols of dark wood carved in the shape of bearded monkeys.The last of his letters evidenced an unhinged mind, and was covered in strange sketches of monkey paws. He described dark eyes glaring out from the mists. Shortly after his return to Absalom, the monkeys and apes in the Absalom Menagerie attacked their keepers during a feeding and fled the grounds into greater Absalom".
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Wizzy can take 10 on history for a 25..
Wizzy wills share what he knows with the group..
"It seems this man was made insane by the Tiki Taan he found.. I would suggest we get ourselves some scarves for protection.. We should also be on the look out for one of those bone handled obsidian blades.. The Blakros Museum contains many oddities, perhaps it has one.."
He'll cast Heroism on himself before heading in..
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"My first mission for the Society was in the Mwangi Expanse," says Prothero, his voice sounding somewhat distracted. "We fought more apes that day than I ever thought to see in my lifetime, and one much larger than an ogre, who we only defeated by the aid of a powerful relic of Old Azlant. I've no wish to fight any more mad apes, if we've a choice of it."
He looks about the room and says, "There was no cold mist in that place, though, it was hot as an oven. But if a scarf can keep the mad mists of these Tik Taans from seeping into my mouth, I'm going to wear one." Though his attire seems more suited to the desert than to a cold, stone museum, it serves him well here, as it has a wrap designed to keep the burning sun off his head. Prothero wraps it twice around his lower face, keeping his mouth and nose covered and leaving his eyes exposed to watch for any danger in the mists.
Once he's prepared, he says, "To the office first, right? Looks like we take the first door on the left and go through the western exhibit hall. Who's first? I prefer to hang back a bit."
"Yes, Master." says Rowles as he takes the lead and starts walking towards the entrance to the Western Exhibit hall.
Arriving at the entry way to western exhibit hall, Rowles looks at Giradoux, waits for a nod, and then opens the door and steps through the threshold, with Giradoux in tow.
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Walking through the entry way Giradoux pauses to look at some of the artifacts arrayed in the western exhibit hall,
"Kyra, I think this places needs more than the light of Sarenrae to cleanse the taint found here, it needs the holy fire of Lord Apsu to be rid of this wicked taint."
Looking over at Blackjack, he says "Seen anything like these foul things in your travels?"
I should see if there's anything in this room that needs to be given to the society for safe keeping Thinks Giradoux as he uses detect magic on the room.
The mists here congeal into a thick and silvery fog that cools the lungs. A giant warrior looms from the haze, his arms crossed at his chest, his helm solemn and still. Beyond lie sarcophagi of varied designs, and a few glass cases wherein withered dead are held upright by rods and string, grim exhibits of long-dead citizens whose fallen empires were erased an age past.
Giradoux looks to the northwest, but sees nothing magical. As the party approaches the middle of the room, the mist swirls around the statues along the southern and western walls. Four of the five statues comes to life.
Initiative:
Initiative:
1st: Blackjack
2nd: Undead
3rd: Prothero; Gilthanis; Floggentop; Giradoux
The blow slams into the Warlord and savages the skeleton.
The western Warlord flanks with the giant mummified remains against Blackjack, while the Southern Warlord slashes at Floggentop and the emaciated corpse moves to attack Prothero.
The western warlord misses their target, but the southern warlord is able to land a hit on Floggentop. The Greatclub from the lumbering hulk slams into Blackjack and the bite attack savages Prothero.
Total Damage:
Blackjack:
Prothero:
Floggentop:
Initiative:
1st: Blackjack @ 33 HP
2nd: Undead (W. Warlord @ 10 damage)
3rd: Prothero @ 10 HP; Gilthanis; Floggentop @ 39 HP; Giradoux
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Magical energy starts flowing around Giradoux causing the dust at his feet to start flying away. Arms waving, Giradoux says "The Power of Lord Apsu shall flow through you!"
Giradoux, Rowles, Blackjack, Prothero and Kyra all feel the light of Apsu flame enter their body and feel their movement, (+30 ft/rd) Attacks (+1/rd ) AC (+1) and Reflex (+1) all feel boosted
Giradoux trails 5 feet behind Rowles.
Rowles lets out a bellow as he feel the magical energy of Lord Apsu flow thru him, and charges the Large Creature N/W of him.
"MAY LORD APSU SMITE YOU DOWN FOUL MINION OF EVIL!!!"
Rowles swings at the foul minion of darkness with all his might.
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Giradoux is sickened for minutes.
Between Blackjack and Prothero's assault and Kyra's channel, the Warlords are reduced to dust.
Blackjack swings twice at the hulking monstrosity.
The both attacks land true.
The hulking monstrosity lashes back at Blackjack with his greatclub and bite attack.
The mummified remains closes in on the cleric, lashing out with bites and claws on the priestess.
Total Damage:
Blackjack:
Kyra:
Initiative:
1st: Blackjack @ 25 HP
2nd: Undead (Hulking @ 31 damage; Mummified Remains @ 6 damage)
3rd: Prothero @ 10 HP; Kyra @ 30 HP; Floggentop @ 39 HP; Giradoux-Sickened