Grigor lays into the downed Troglodyte, stabbing him once more and even getting a batty bite in!
The trog heaves and coughs a couple of times before passing out, unconscious and bleeding out!!
With combat over you guys are able to finish ransacking the place and saving your dying allies.
Balaner is overjoyed you guys rescued him and finished the mission he originally set out to accomplish!
With the defeat of Tasskar and his troglodytes, the Fallen Fortress stands abandoned once more, but it’s only a matter of time before something else moves into the damaged siege tower and poses a new threat--but that is an adventure for another day!
You have been stationed at the Grand Lodge in Absalom, awaiting assignment for a mission of utmost importance. Things finally seemed in motion when Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng sent out a summons for available agents. Specialized in the history of Absalom, Dreng is known for putting off-duty agents to work on sundry tasks when he finds them resting within the city’s limits.
Coming to the meeting place—an odd choice of venue, as it is a street corner far from the Grand Lodge—a lone beggar garbed in baggy robes approaches. The only figure visible in the constant drizzle, the beggar sticks out his hands for currency. “Have you any coin to spare, fine folk?”
The question hangs in the air for only a scant moment before the figure pulls back his hood to reveal the wizened face of Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng. He gives a crooked smile, soaked head to toe from his unprotected time in the rain. His clothes smell faintly of cabbage.
“Sorry about that,” he says with a wink. “I always like to play a little joke on agents when I stumble across them during my jaunts into town. Now, why did I summon you fine folk here again…?”
Dreng shakes his head from side to side, as though trying to knock water out of his ears, despite the constant downpour.
“Ah yes, the Wounded Wisp! I’m undercover now and can’t stray far from the site I’m watching, but I need someone to retrieve a package for me from that fine establishment. It’s among Absalom’s most storied taverns, you see, and one that holds a special place of privilege in the Society’s lore as the place where the organization began. Well, I could drone on and on about it, but standing out in the rain is doing none of us any favors.”
As if anticipating agreement, the bedraggled venture captain produces a small slip of folded paper from one of his many stitched pockets. Dreng quickly shows a glimpse of the page’s contents: a map detailing the location of the Wounded Wisp bar.
“The bartender is a woman by the name of Heryn Gale, a fine lady who came to own the Wisp after the passing of her father from—oh, bah, it’s really getting too cold for me to give a proper history lesson! If you could just go to the Wisp, and tell Heryn you’re there to pick up my parcel, it would be most appreciated. I’ll be around here for several more hours at least.”
The Wounded Wisp is located in the Foreign Quarter district of Absalom, close to the grounds of the Grand Lodge. You guys have no difficulty finding the establishment with the map Dreng provided. Almost every initiate or member has heard of or seen the building at some point.
Built from dark, discolored wood, the exterior of the Wounded Wisp is the image of an iconic dive bar. Stained and barred windows obscure direct vision into the establishment, though ruddy yellow light bleeds from a window in the front hall.
Steping inside, The smell of smoke and spilled ale assails the senses in this wide-open area. Walls of dark-stained wood make up the sides of the Wounded Wisp, while well-used wooden tables are spread throughout the space. A raised area in the back of the establishment houses several additional tables and eating areas for groups seeking more than just a good drink.
An austere bar supported by kegs instead of wooden panels commands the northern end of the room. A stained-glass cabinet stands behind the bar, its dark panes cracked in several spots, yet not so opaque as to conceal the several dozen types of hard liquor within.'
A handful of different groups are already relaxing around the bar, enjoying drink and food offered by the Wisp’s staff.
Listening in everyone is currently talking about how a certain Sir Reinhart of Kenabres, a Mendevian crusader who recently arrived from the north, plans on attempting the Test of the Starstone, the legendary trial by which one might ascend to godhood.
There are a number of familiar faces and people of note around but one specifically calls out a greeting as you guys enter!
Janira Gavix, the halfling bard that helped guide you guys through your own confirmation only a few months ago!
There is also Aram bin Kaleel a known inquisitor of Saranrae, he opened a curiosity shop not long back over in the coin's district.
The boartusk twins, Garl and Shrade are at the bar, participating in some drinking competition, whooping and hollaring.
Lastly Yargos Gill a wizened old man and something of a military adviser. He isn't a direct pathfinder agent but has helped out from time to time.
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Durlo walks up to the bar and wrinkles his nose at the mugs of ale.
He says, almost talking to himself, "A Deadshield clanman must always keep his head...how do you say...free of such burdens. Yes, as my associate said, we are looking for a package."
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Heryn, the bar keep speaks up to address the group, "Straight ta business, ehh? Well give me some time, maybe catch up with your fellows, share stories, I can't help ya till my replacement gets here in a bit,"
Elsewhere in the bar, Mordack and Janira are catching up as old friends do, "Hah yes, those are the gold days, 'member that time Durlo almost got killed by the minotaur?! Phew he barely made it out!! Adventure, that's what this job is all about,"
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Seeing Janira across the room stirs up dark memories in Durlo. The scar across his chest seems to burn a little more than usual. He hears the word 'minotaur' and flinches at an imagined strike, but he manages to recover his composure. He walks over and strikes up a conversation with Aram, starting in Osirian.
"Hello friend Aram bin Kaleel, my name is Durlo Deadshield, newly-confirmed Pathfinder and witch hunter of the Deadshield clan. I wanted to make your acquaintance."
Sitting with Yargos, he nods at ya as ya pull up to his table, The older man is sipping from an oversized flagon of ale while reading through a large and ominous looking tome. "Not at all, ya young'in, just doin' a bit o' light readin', all just ta help the societay"
Meanwhile with Durlo chatting with Aram Bin Kaleel, "Well met new Pathfinder, its always good to see our ranks grow, so does the light of Saranrae shrine brighter. How fares your first adventures?"
Sigrid meeting with the Boartusk twins, who seem to be more her style anyways, greet her by sliding a mug of ale over, "Aye yer a beefy one, ain't ya, like us, just muscle o' the society, hah bet you can't drink that beer fastah than we can!"
Yargos raises an eyebrow at Bartimaeus' question, "Oh this ancient tome, hah this is just an ancient Osirian recipe book, its fascinating to see what ingredients were used in that time, such cultural knowledge can be gleaned," lowering his voice and his eyes looking shiftily around, "And personally I think this book holds a secret code to revealing an ancient dungeon. But it'll be some time before I've cracked it,"
Hannah orders a hearty stout and begins sipping it at the bar.
Sigrid takes the Boartusk twins up on their challenge and makes quick work of this wimpy southern beer, they cheer and clasp her on the back mightily.
Durlo follows up with Aram Bin, "Aye, the Lady of Graves can be a fickle mistress for sure, well if you need any advice down the road I have a curio shop in the Coin's District," With that he puts a wide brimmed red hat on and strolls out of the bar.
Not long after a younger girl comes rushing in, an apron tied around her waist and she is in the process of tying her hair up into a bun. "Sorry Heryn, I'm back, I hope you didn't have to wait long!"
With Heryn's replacement here, he calls you guys over, "Alright follow me, we need to grab the package out of the basement," He leads you into the kitchen and down into the cellers. "Drendle Drang's preferred vintage is stored down here, we just recently got his favorite bottle back in stock."
The basement of the Wounded Wisp is a stonework affair, having had its foundation strengthened following a significant donation by a Society member only to suffer damage during the quake of 4698.
A set of wooden stairs descends from the main floor into this tightly packed storeroom. Barrels, boxes, and crates of assorted foodstuffs and drink garnishes are pushed against the walls or under the stairs.
"be careful here, this is a something we've been meaning to fix but just haven't had a chance to, the vintage is just over there if you wouldn't mind grabbing it!" Heryn says all this while pointing to a rickety plank that spans a 10-foot gap, the hole it covers is also about 10 ft deep.
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Bartimaeus raises his eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you suggesting this rotting piece of timber is what allows you to access your stock?" The decision making of some people!
With no other way to cross, he practically clings to the flimsy wood as he crawls across. "Let us not mention this particular event of our tale, eh?" How undignified...
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Hannah moves down to the basement, dropping her back by the door. Looking around at the bar....
Better not leave my musket up here, it might get swiped, the bag I can replace by papas musket I can not.
With that she shrugs and carries it down by the barrel with the butt of it resting in her armpit.
Looking at the wooden board, she steps gingerly across, and follows the bar maid.
Nice establishment you have, reminds me of the local watering holes back home.
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Durlo grunts at the board and says, "Indeed, friend Bartimaeus."
He crosses once the others have made their way to the other side.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Taking another drink from the twins Sigrid follows her group and the barkeep down the stairs to the basement. dark, and musty a fine place for keeping your stock...and I agree a rickety rotted bird like that might not be the best.
Sigrid carefully walks across the board to help get the package for master dreng.
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Grigor flies down from the rafters to the basement looking for another out of the way place to land down there.
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You guys are able to walk safely, slowly and one at a time across the board. It creaks and comes close to breaking several times when some of the heavier members cross it.
Sigrid knows that if you guys took the time to reinforce the board there'd be no concern of it breaking.
As you guys sort through the vast wine racks you are able to find the specific wine bottle Drendle Dreng is looking for.
When you go to pull the bottle out it has significant resistance and a loud clank can be heard, a portion of wine rack slides away revealing a secret passage way!
A sturdy silver chain jutting from the ceiling ends in a glowing orb that radiates yellow light across the rectangular room. A simple desk of polished wood, stacked with documents and scattered notes, shelters a pair of wooden chests against the south wall. A series of cracks along the eastern and western walls form makeshift entrances into exposed caverns.
Prowling around in this area are two large scorpions, covered in a gray rocky carapace, their pincers clack menacingly as the wall falls away!
Round 1 - Initiative MAAAAAAAP
Mordack
Hannah
Sigrid
Grigor
Durlo
Bartimaeus
CAVE SCORPION
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Durlo moves up past his companions and into the room. He maneuvers around Sigrid's battle with the scorpion and attempts to tumble through. But his heavy dwarf frame gets in the way.
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The party springs into action at the sight of such a pincer-y danger. Hannah fires a bullet spilling the scorpion's carapace and Mordack's acid attack causes the wound to burn while Sigrid comes in and finishes the bug off with her flail.
The remaining Scorpion steps up and attacks Sigrid and Durlo!
The scorpion steps up and stings Durlo in the arm while clamping a pincer around Sigrid's leg!
Round 2 - Initiative
Mordack
Hannah
Sigrid 1 damage
Grigor
Durlo 3 damage
Bartimaeus - Bless for 9 rounds
CAVE SCORPION
Together you guys beat back the foul cave scorpions.
The only light source in this room is a plain rock that bears a continual flame spell and hangs from a chain. The illumination is enough to brighten the room but leaves the connecting tunnels dark.
Having the opportunity to further explore this room you guys find The desk contains various notes and leads penned by Selmius with Adolphus’s later annotations.
The papers chronicle the personal exploits of Selmius Foster, a famous Pathfinder whose name the you recognize from their training as Pathfinder agents or from conversations with patrons in the Wounded Wisp. Most of Foster’s more infamous adventures appear here in varying amounts of detail, but it is evident there is another investigation he had been pursuing before he died: the lost records of a Society agent named Eylysia.
I write this letter in the event that my upcoming expedition to Bhopan goes poorly. In this trove I have left my considerable findings, which I hope will be of use to our growing Society. While most of this information will no doubt already be in the hands of fellow Society members, there is a personal matter which I have left contained within.
Events over the past decade have led me to suspect a fellow agent of hoarding her knowledge and not submitting it for review. This woman_a surprisingly sensible gnome by the name of Eylysia_has partaken of almost as many missions as I, yet she reports only a third of what I have brought to light. In order to ensure knowledge is not concealed, I have begun an investigation into Eylysia and her activities here in Absalom, hoping to find her hidden repository of stored knowledge. Thus far, I have come across two promising leads.
The first is Eylysia’s contact with a well-known stonemason by the name of Arkath. I had the displeasure of meeting this fellow in his dying days, when he promised to take any secrets he held to his grave. He was interred in a mausoleum in the Ivy District weeks after our encounter, though I still believe there is more to his connection with Eylysia.
Another lead is Eylysia’s friendship with a member of the Arcanamirium, a local wizard’s guild. The fellow is a gnome by the name of Fimbrik.
All of my attempts to speak with him have failed, though I have noted his home address in my files for follow-up.
It is my sincere hope that I am able to return to discover what Eylysia has hidden, but should I not, I entrust this to my assistant Adolphus or any brave Society agents who come across my unfinished work.
_Selmius Foster
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16
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"Very interesting. I wonder if Drendle Deng was expecting this?"
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