Heading off the walk is easier, much easier than the last several days and soon you start to smell the ocean air. After a few hours you reach the town of Pier's End. The sleepy fishing village offers a warm inn, a hot meal, and is where you will find a way to cross to the Isle of Erran. Spending some time asking around you find three captains capable of ferrying you to Escadar.
Darice Sumore is a surly looking young woman, but if her sea-weathered face were softened, she could be considered pretty. Not excessively freindly she still knows her way in the sea. It's rumered her father was a Pathfinder who she never knew, but she carries a trinket of his around her neck at all times.
Small Otti is a fat halfling who constantly states that his plump stature helps with buoyancy at sea. He enjoys his coin, but even more so loves his food and drink. He's much easier to haggle with if treated to some fine food and drink.
Crazy Old Tanner is a disheveled, fish-smelling, and wild-eyed man who constantly talks out the side of his mouth while blowing thick gouts of grey smoke from an aromatic pipe. He is fit to yelling at the sea, accusing it of being an unfaithful mistress and talking about how things were better when he was much younger. The townsfolk all think he is crazy, but none of them deny his abaility at sea.
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"The rest o' yae'll have tae make this 'cision, as I doon't want tae bae gooin' oon nae wee boot anyway. I ken enou' 'bout the sea tae knoo yae doon wan' nae wee lassies oon the boot. Sae I voot again' her to begin wit'"
Orik isn't much for discerning character, but has is own opinions about some things.
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He had considered the options and weighed them. There were rumors about woman on a ship and them bringing back luck. But he also didn't feel comfortable with a halfling that could be bought with food. So, the best solution would be the old man. He grimaced for a moment before speaking.
"The old man?"
You head off to find Sumore, and you find her upon her ship, hailing her from the dock she comes to the edge of the ship "What do you need?" An old, banged up Wayfinder hands from her neck.
Sumore places a hand on her hip, the other holding her wayfinder, standing there a moment before nodding "Alright then, your lucky I'm in a good mood. I'll provide you passage, I'm going that way anyways and you seem like a nice enough lot." Before heading into her chambers she looks back to you [b]"We set sail in an hour so be onboard or I'll be leaving you behind."
Everyone on board you set sail for Escadar. The journay is scenic but uneventful allowing you some time to relax and get some rest after the long days of travelling cross country. The trip takes about 12 hours in total before you reach the port at Escadar.
Getting to port in Escadar Sumore bids you fairwell as she hurries to tend to her own affairs. On shore again you take some time finding the waterside tavern called the Grindylow’s Goblet where Rees is meeting with the gillmen. He sends word of your arrival to the gillman embassy in Escadar to notify them you are ready to meet. At Grindylow's Goblet the sounds of a busy tavern echo off the wooden walls of this unusual building. Resting precariously over Escadar’s harbor, the Grindylow’s Goblet offers an unequaled view of the water. In the bar’s center, a thick glass aquarium presents a striking display. Within the tank, a coral statue of a goblin with the lower body of an octopus hosts a school of colorful fish that flit about the nooks and crannies of its tentacles.
Thick wooden planks support the tavern floor as it stretches out into the harbor, offering a splendid vista of Escadar’s harbor. Wooden walls and doors make up the tavern’s construction, and several torches fill sconces that cast the tavern in normal illumination. Two human servers busily provide food and drink to the tavern’s half-dozen patrons, and a striking woman tends the bar.
Rees goes to find a seat while he waits for the gillmen.
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Adakos will accompany Rees, keeping an eye out for the sort of thugs and rogues that are typically attracted to port taverns.
Last thing we need is trouble here.
His gaze passes across the room, looking for any obvious threats, before falling upon the woman at the bar. He takes in her details before returning to his watch, his eyes fixed on the front door.
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Orik yawns and shifts his feet impatiently. "When'r these blasted gullmen gonna show oop? Dae yae ken wae went true all that trooble to have the fishy blokes nae shoo oon us?"
He keeps a sharp eye on the door waiting until the gillmen enter. He takes a seat where he can keep an eye on most patrons and most of the entrances to the Inn.
A few minutes after everyone gets settled the gillman party arrives. Smaller and more low-key than the party the Pathfinder Society sent, the gillman contingent consists of only two Low Azlanti, a man and a woman. The male bears a delicately wrapped bundle of cloth, apparently around the Azlanti relic, while the woman acts as bodyguard. Seeing Rees they come over to the table the man carrying the bundle introduces himself "Ah, Mr. Rees your reputation proceeds you. I am Shoalo and this is my companion Ahrmisa." he motions toward the other gillman with him who remains silent and stoic.
Shoalo sits at a table and places his package before you. Ahrmisa stands behind him, eyeing the rest of the party suspiciously. Shoalo continues "Please place your item on the table for inspection." As Rees removes the artifact and places it on the table Shoalo hands over his artifact. He takes only a cursory glance at your offering before bundling it back up.
As Shoalo is wrapping up his, Rees takes his time examining the artifact.
As the Shoalo starts to stand to leave, Rees shouts out "It is a fake! They are trying to dupe us! Get the real artifact back.." As soon as this occurs the bartender drops a glass that shatters.
The bartender waits a moment, knowing Shoalo and Ahrisma would know the signal. Shoalo starts to move for the door followed by Ahrisma. The bartender intones some arcane words as some of the torches in the room spark in a bright flash of light.
The bartender moves over to the edge of the bar and casts a spell. As she finishes webs spring forth throughout the tavern trying to ensnare most of the party.
Should be able to see radius on map, basically everyone except Tam and Johendar need to make a Reflex save DC14 or become grappled.
Kor while able to cover his eyes and avoid most of the bright light gets tangled in the webbing.
He struggles to get free but has no luck. Shoalo continues to the door and opens it.
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The flash blinds poor Orik who leaps to his feet grabbing for his slung shield when the webbing hits him as well, causing him to be horribly entangled.
"Oy! This ain't fair fightin'! Damn gillmen pullin' an amb'sh oon oos when wae least 'xpect i'. Wait'll I get mae eyes back, then I'll shoo them fishmen a thing 'r too..."
WIth the party severly hampered by the bartendars spells the gillmen, including the bartendar slip out of the tavern taking the real artifact with them. After things settle and the party gets back to action Rees exclaims "Well this was a waste ofa trip and even worse we lost a real artifact. I can't say I blame you all, as things just went horribly wrong and I'll be sure to relay that to the Society. You might as well find a way back to Absalom. I'm going to talk to the embassy and see if there is anything I can do." he shrugs.
Returning to the Grand Lodge in Absalom, you are met with
disappointment, but Drandle Dreng admits that it wasn’t just you who
were duped. He says that the Decemvirate is not pleased, but places the blame more on himself than on the your group. Dreng warns that the Aspis Consortium is the greatest threat to the Pathfinder Society and that you
should be ever vigilant against the organization in your ongoing careers.