Judah sighed. So that's why they called me. I knew I never should have gone to the Pathfinders in the first place.
"Let me see that thing."
As he turns the box over and gets a feel for it, his eyes cloud over with an inky darkness until they look empty, like a starless parch of night.
"Typical. No idea what this thing is at all, but I feel like I'm making progress. What's that phrase about feeling like you're doing something you've done before?"
Dimral looks at the others fussing over the so called "paradox box", then he answers Judah:"Your meaning is clear enough, why do you need other words besides those you already used?" and checks the notes for himself:"According to these" - he says brandishing the pages - "The word "CRUEL" is somehow significant. Maybe it opens by committing cruel acts in its vicinity? Or has it something to do with pronouncing the word itself in a certain manner? I'm no expert in spells and such, but in legends these are some of the things that work in a situation like this"
"The only anagram I can think of for cruel is ulcer, which is what this thing is giving me..." Judah says continuing to fiddle with the puzzle box.
Valai checks whether the runes can be switched to change 'CRUEL' into 'KIND', using the runes on the other sides of the box if necessary.
"Let... me... see," Valai says as she places her hands upon the cube and starts to rearrange the runes.
"Lucre...? Ulcer...? Cur El...?"
Valai works on rearranging the letters. As she touches two letters simultaneously they swap places. With her first re-arrangement of the letters changing the C with the L, the U with the R, the R with the C, and finally switching the E and the R she spells out Lucre and the top 1/3 of the box pops open. As it does so there is a poof of smoke as two small creatures that look like the world's most revolting lapdog had somehow learned to walk on its back legs, materialize in the room. They quickly split up, one running over to a nearby book shelf clawing at the books and pulling them down all over the floor. The other goes to a table with a number of different scrolls and begins ripping them to shreds. In the process both of them chuckle with glee as they begin to destroy the library.
Valai shouts with protest - and throws out her hand while chanting a brief spell: "Solum unctum!"
A puddle of grease appears underneath the dog-headed creature attacking the scrolls. "Stop these marauding beasts! Capture them!" Valai shouts. "Do not let them escape, but do not let them do any more damage, either!"
Dimral just grunts and stares at the creatures with blank eyes, then, as it would be the most natural thing to do he takes the hammer down on their head:
"Oh, yuck!" Judah yells, hopping up onto the table and trying to stay away from the gross little creatures.
Germain moves over to the creature by the bookshelves, pulling out his weapon issuing commands, the thing just cackles ignoring Germain. Valai in turn casts a spell at the one by the table.
The floor gets slick with grease, but the thing seems to have little difficulty keeping upright. Judah appreantly frieghtened by the sudden appreance of the creatures climbs up ontop of the table with the box trying to keep himself safe from any harm.
The two creatures continue their work on destroying the library, the one scratching and pulling down books. The other, now taking the grease and smearing it all over things.
Rommin waits a moment to see how the battle proceeds as Dimral moves over to the one near the scrolls bringing down his hammer square on the creature. As it crushes beneath his hammer it poofs and vanishes in the same fashion it appeared.
Pugwampis live in caves or ruined buildings, occasionally venturing forth to find victims upon which to inflict their sick senses of humor. Their “jokes” tend to involve spikes and excrement, or sometimes pits full of spiders or campsites that flood with swamp water. Certainly only the pugwampis consider their jokes funny. As all pugwampis are somewhat deaf, when not trying to be stealthy, they tend to scream and yell loudly so they can hear themselves and each other.
At some point in the distant past, pugwampis became enamored of gnolls, seeing in the beast-men a kindred form and thus aspiring to the height and deadly prowess of the savage warriors, whom they honor as gods. Gnolls, for their part, hate pugwampis even more than other creatures, mostly because of the gremlins' weakness and sickening fawning, though they sometimes keep the gremlins around just to torment them.
They are resistant to Magic and weapons other than Cold Iron. They also pass off their bad-luck to those nearby.
Rommin now moves over to the other and attempts to attack it, but the creature is too quick and avoids the blow.
Valai draws a rapier from the sheath at her belt and barks a Word of Command. The weapon goes flying towards the last dog-faced boggle and slashes at it once before returning to the Wizard's hand.
"Get it! Getitgetit!" Judah points
As the first gremlin explodes in a puff of smoke Dimral directs his hammer to the other, although while doing so he speaks in a loud and clear tone:"These creatures are Pugwampi, a subrace of gremlins, they are evil who glory in other people misfortunes. They have some resistance to magic and to all kinds of weapons but cold iron ones. Kill them. They don't deserve any mercy and certainly won't give us any if they can help it!"
Germain gets closer to the creature and smacks it with the side of his blade, hard enough it seems to pass out. Valai lets her weapon fly using her magic to guide it and it slices into the creature that poofs as the one before leaving on the group left in the room.
Before you have an opportunity to open the door, it swings in as Shiela and Koriah both come into the room weapons in hand. "We heard a raucous, what has happened?" Shiela asks as she looks around at the partially destroyed library her features turning from concern to anger.
"There were... dog-faced things in the box," Valai says as she sheathes her blade. "Or rather, they were summoned once I opened it. I apologize." Obviously, the word 'apologize' does not sit well on the Elf's lips; she seems to have to force it out into the world.
"Pugwampi" Dimral states in a flat emotionless tone "Those were Pugwampi and we sent them back to whatever hell they came from"
Despite her apparent anger she shakes her head and looks at you all, and nods to Valai and Germain "I am quite pleased you were able to not only open the paradox box, but also dispatch the gremlins. It also looks like you stopped most of the damage to the library which is a plus. In any case we have more important matters to discuss."
She bids farewell to Koriah; the half-elf bows to you all as she leaves and wishes you luck in your endeavors as Pathfinders. Once Koriah has left, Sheila turns back to you and asks you to take your seats again.
“First, allow me to apologize for that unpleasantness regarding the gremlins — but it does provide an excellent object lesson. The life of an adventurer is not one for the weak-hearted. That you not only took care of the gremlins but also got the box open in the first place is all the confirmation I need that my gut was right — you’re the perfect group for the job I have in mind."
She takes a seat and continues"You see — I’ve recently had trouble with one of my informants here in Magnimar, Natalya Vancaskerkin. She’s a half-Varisian who recently approached the Pathfinder Society with an offer to serve as a street informant. She runs with the Sczarni — I’m not sure with which group. A week ago, Natalya sent me a cryptic hint that her gang was on the verge of uncovering an item that would be of great interest to the Society. Since the Sczarnis’ methods of uncovering something often involves an armed robbery or breaking into somebody’s personal chambers, we thought it prudent not to press for further details and instead wait to see what it would produce. Suffice it to say, she hinted strongly that it pertained to Thassilon, and promised to meet with me to discuss this find three days ago."
“She never kept that promise — instead, she seems to have simply vanished. Initially, I assumed that the acquisition of this item was simply taking longer than expected, but now I’m hearing rumors that the Sczarni are looking for her as well."
“It seems likely that Natalya has absconded with this item she’s discovered. And this is where you enter, my friends. I want to know what it was that Natalya and the Sczarni found. In fact, I’m more interested in that than in what happened to Natalya herself. For now, I’d like to keep all of this quiet — if you can find out what happened to Natalya without letting a lot of people know she was also working for me as an informant, that would be preferable — that’s a big part of why I’m coming to you, as new members of the Pathfinder Society, with this task. You don’t yet have a reputation in Magnimar, and as such, the lowlifes and criminals you are likely to encounter may be more likely to talk."
“So... go out there and look for Natalya. Find out what happened to her, and to this item she and her gang discovered. If you can secure the item, all the better — bring it back to me and I’ll have a reward of 500 gold pieces for you. And if you can bring Natalya back alive for me to speak to, I’ll double that!”
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"Has anything good ever come from Thassilon?" he thinks to himself, while taking mental notes of his host's requests.
"Do you have any likeness or pictures of this woman? Any other information we can go on? I need no reward for helping the woman. If she runs with the Sczarni, I have no doubt she is,. . . less than innocent, but she is still a person worthy of being helped."
"The case sounds like an interesting enough challenge," Valai says. "Also, if we are now accredited Pathfinders, I suppose we should mensure that this matter is properly resolved."
'And of course the money won't hurt.'
Almost as an afterthought, the Elfmaiden passes her hand over the contents of the paradox box and mutters a single Word of Power.
"Wait, what?" Judah said climbing down off the table and shaking his head in shock while the others spoke. "This was some kind of test?"
Like a building storm, Judah's anger rose and then burst forth with an impressive deluge of curses and fury. "I came to you in good faith six months ago because I'd already opened something I shouldn't have, and you said you'd help. You said you were intrigued, and that you'd let me know as soon as you learned anything."
"Then nothing! I've been living like a half-dead scavenger for months trying not to lose my g%#@!%n mind, hoping someone would tell me something that would help me, and then when you finally contact me again, you do this!?"
"What the f~%~ is wrong with you?"
"What made you think this would possibly be a good idea? What's next on your list? Going to find someone who's desperately afraid of snakes and put a few in their lunchbox? Maybe pass out jack-in-the-boxes to kids who are afraid of clowns?"
"You think I don't know the dangers that come with solving the wrong puzzle?"
"And then, after pulling this s@@~, you want me to go do something for you?"
Again his eyes had turned solid black, glinting with distant stars.
"I'm not a f#~+ing pathfinder. I didn't ask for any of this. I'm here because I needed help, and because whatever is happening to me is connected to the things you research, and if we don't do something, this s@@& that is going to happen will make the Worldwound seem like a nice place to go for a vacation!"
"I don't appropriate being toyed with! If you want me to work for you, this is one hell of a s##%ty way to start things out."
By the time he finished, the room itself was darker around him, like something about him was swallowing the light itself.
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-Posted with Wayfinder
Dimral clasps one of his huge hands on Judah's shoulder and talks in a quiet tone:"Stop it. We dealt with the gremlins. We'll deal with this Sczarni woman. And then we'll get some answers. You may moan and cry as much as you want but aome things are not going to change. If you need help and only the Society of Pathfinders can provide it what difference does it make if they want to test you or not? Your need still remains and you still need them. Better to try changing the situation than waste time ranting."
Shiela glares at Judah during his outburst and as he finishes she nods her head slightly ”I understand your concern and I apologize for the creatures. The box was the test, the creatures within were an unforeseen consequence. I admit I should have vetted the box further before handing it over and that lies with me. Luckily no one injured and the library is really no worse for the wear. As you noted you are not a Pathfinder and as such it will be difficult to get those within the Society to help you research the dark things you have managed to mingle with, unless of course you earn some favor and prestige within the Society. This is why I asked you here to try and help you get the things you need to enable you to search for the answers you seek.”
Turning to Rommin after feeling she sufficiently quelled Judah’s concerns she begins ”Natalya is a slender woman, she has long black hair, from the few times we’ve met in person she usually wears back behind a red bandana, like is a common style for the Varisians and specifically he Sczarni. She is about five and half feet tall. I sadly do not have any pictures of her. However, I can give you some of my thoughts on possible leads."
"First you might want to check with the Sczarni. They have been a part of Magnimar from the start — they’re not the most dangerous or powerful of the city’s criminal organizations, but they are the most visible. The Sczarni generally don’t involve themselves in particularly violent crimes, and in many cases in Magnimar, they actually help to protect and police less fortunate neighborhoods, and as such are often well regarded by the lower-class."
"There are six major Sczarni gangs in the city: the Creepers, Doolun’s Lads, the Gallowed, the Tower Girls, the Washside Wringers, and the Wreckwash Blades, with the Gallowed being the most powerful Sczarni family in the city. When Natalya initially approached me with the offer of serving the Pathfinders as an informant, she engaged the aid of a man known as the Amazing Zograthy, a Varisian who keeps a permanent tent and fortune-telling business in Washers’ Row — specifically, at the end of a narrow alley that serves as a permanent street fair. Most of our Natalya and my contact was brokered through him. He may be worth checking with to see if he has additional information."
"I have little more information for you, unfortunately — though there are rumors of Nidalese slavers prowling the streets of late, and if these are true, being abducted by a slaver in the middle of the night would certainly explain Natalya’s absence. She might even have been picked up by the city guard for some reason, in which case a visit to the Arvensoar, the garrison for the city’s watch, might yield some clues. Beyond this, I can offer nothing but wishes for luck."
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Stepping between Judah and Dimral, Sheila, and the rest of the party, "Perhaps, you just can not see the full picture yet, my friend. You have no reason to trust us just yet, but if you will allow yourself to, perhaps we can earn thine trust, and help you to attain what you seek. And maybe,. . . just maybe to learn what that truly is. Holding up a hand, hoping to stop the inevitable interjection from others, "Will you join us, Mr. Judah, and see what you can accomplish with our aid? You know the alternatives, already, no?"
"Let us adjourn to this Zograthy, then," Valai suggests, with a brief glance at Judah. "That might be the best place to start. If anyone has a faculty with deception, we could feign a desire to hire Ms. Vancaskerkin as a lock-tripper for some criminal endeavour."
Dimral makes an unconfortable noise, not being accostumed to that much speaking yet knowing the people here needed his expertise as an hunter:"One place is as good as another if we need to start hunting and we don't know our quarry well. Yet I'd start from the Arvensoar, not only this Sczarni might just be there, but the guards might know something about her or provide information about these slavers and the places she favors"
"Not I," Valai says, after a brief sniff and a frown at Dimral's expense.* "Also, even if the watch did know something, they might insist on involving themselves in our affairs, which is undesirable to say the least!"
The Elfmaiden goes to stand beside Rommin. "Let us be off," she says, glancing at Judah. "We have a walk in front of us regardless our destination, and you might as well use the time to explain to us what you are so very vocally upset about."
Judah's anger melted as soon as he heard that she didn't know the creatures would be released from the box. He nodded, clearly ashamed of himself.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I can't expect you to help me if I'm not willing to help you. My problems aren't yours. Not yet, anyway."
Judah rubbed his eyes. "Thank you."
Looking at the others, he shrugged at the elven woman. "There're really not much to tell. I solved the wrong puzzle and things came out of it, only instead of trashing a library, it was inside my head, and they're still coming out. I can't close the box, so to speak, and they keep trashing my library, so it's really hard to make sense out of things."
Valai's eyebrows rise a carefully controlled inch, and she suddenly seems to be scrutinizing Judah a lot more closely. She is actually smiling - a little.
"Well now! You may be more interesting than I had previously thought. Remind me to dedicate some time to researching your condition. But first: the missing turncoat."