|
The ghost smiles sadly at Meran and Deluge. Me? I'm just a spirit, my soul is anchored into this armor which I have just given you all scales from....I am on of the good guys. Now goo and then you feel his presence disappear.
Having reunited Roldare with his sister, and taking account of the dead - which enumerates basically every adult of note from Kassen save a few of the older tradesmen and the mayor - you begin the sad and somber march back to Kassen.
When you left things were taking on a funerary image as part of the festival but as the news sinks in the town as a whole goes into full mourning.
Roldare asks So...what is it you all intend to do now? I don't fink this is what you all came here for, but...well we appreciate you helping put a stop to that Asar guy before he marched his army on the town...I mean at least the kids is okay now He is a bit more put together now that he is no longer in mortal fear for his life.
|
|
You send a missive back to the society inquiring what to do and sharing what you had learned.
The name of the tavern on the handbill leads back to a place in the City of Tamran in Nirmathas, just on the borders of Molthune and Razmiran.
They advise you to go to a nearby settlement in the River kingdoms to lick up a boat and some back up in the form of a fresh agent of some kind.
*waves*
"Greetings. I am Seoni. Fellow Pathfinders yes?"
|
Unfortunately.
"Ah, yes, we are fellow pathfinders. Here to do another dangerous mission to further the cause of truth and justice and all that."
There is a tone of sarcasm in his slightly sloshed voice. Not too heavy, like part of him actually respects the organization, but the other part of him is a bit cynical.
"I had a nice 'vacation', how about the rest of you?"
|
|
The boat has enough supplies for the long boat trip up to the Nirmathas.
Tamran is a small city on the edge of Nirmathas, right across the Sellen river from the Theocratic Nation of Razmir.
Nirmathas itself is a struggling country that only recently freed itself from the grasp of the imperialistic nation of Molthune to the south, which continues to try to reclaim it. The people of Nirmathas are proud of their freedom, liberty, and self-sufficiency, and are continually on guard for incursions by their southern neighbor, which includes yearly minor wars.
Tamran is something of trade hub, which is very vulnerable, and seen as the key to Nirmathas and as such finds itself at the center of a lot of international intrigue, including plays by Razmiran, Molthune, Qadira, Brevoy, and Cheliax to bring the city under their thumb via manipulation, military might or other means. It also finds itself the home to various international organizations who value its location to include the Technic League, Pathfinder Society and Aspis Consortium.
Also give me an idea of what your daily routine on the boat trip is.
"Tamran. A small city on the edge of Nirmathas, right across the Sellen river from the Theocratic Nation of Razmir. Anyone know what our mission is?"
Seoni will observe the sailors and introduce herself when they are not busy.
"We are adventurers. Heard any juicy gossip about Tamran lately?"
|
|
Seoni picks up a little gossip about like "a really good local ale, you got to try knobbys bobbly brew while in town!" and a few other random tidbits but not a whole lot else in terms of usable intelligence.
The boat ride is not altogether uneventful.
The seas outside Tamran are positively crawling with Molthuni privateers trying to prey on goods and gold headed for Nirmathas.
They attempt to seize your ship, incorrectly thinking your international flag marks you as a trade vessel. They try haggling with your captain over some sort of blockade, but it quickly devolves into a fight which you all end up needing to intervene in to keep the ship from being captured and plundered.
|
|
Deluge tries to cast a summon minor ally without being seen and a few rats come scurrying out of the below decks and try to bite the invaders. Deluge shoes them away before they vanish and declares,
"And the rats are a nightmare. Be careful you don't get bitten. They are probably disease ridden. I can't wait to get off this death trap. Think you could give us a ride to port?"
|
"Tamran is something of trade hub, which is very vulnerable, and seen as the key to Nirmathas. It's at the center of a lot of international intrigue, including plays by Razmiran, Molthune, Qadira, Brevoy, and Cheliax to bring the city under their thumb. It's also home to several international societies such as ours. She looks excited at the chance for intrigue.
Meran gives the Mothuni privateers a bright smile. "You can see we aren't a ship carrying trade goods. We are travelers heading to Tamran in order to see some of the country. It's been a rather rough trip on all of us, and we'd very much like to finish it. Please let us go on without further delay." She tries to look faint in the heat.
|
|
You all manage to avoid the scrape with the Pirates without getting too badly messed up.
While Deluges pleas to switch side are not taken all that seriously, ultimately Meran's pleas to mark the ship in such a way that this stops happening are eventually taken seriously and the pirates move on to pursue more profitable ventures.
Landing in Tamran, you can barely tell that this is a city under seige as it is thriving and bustling. You know there is a Pathfinder Venture-Agent operating somewhere in this town and of course you think Iramine might be here somewhere.
Where do you start?
Seoni takes in the sights.
"So we are here seeking common employment?"
|
|
Deluge of course remembers the Ranger's Lament and after asking around, Capone and Meran find that that tavern is in fact suggested for travelers.
Apparently, some sort of "guy with a compass" meets groups of travelers there on occasion and walk away with bags full of gold.
You arrive at the Ranger's lament to find the sort of ale-serving establishment that the average pathfinder spends large portions of their lives frequenting.
It has a pair of long tables designed of hold dozens of people forming the same sort of beer hall environment that is common in Cayden Cailean temples. It is filled with patrons who are eating, drinking, laughing.
One table even holds a bunch of off-duty sailors singing baudy sailor shanties quite loudly.
Deluge is able to find the employment board where sure enough there are a lot of handbills posted. A lot of them seem to be trying to sell people on the idea of joining up with the Temple of Razmir "who's simple 15 tier system is almost GUARANTEED to make you filthy stinking rich" and a few offering simple errands to surrounding counties, many of which seem to be offered by anonymous patrons , all with simple one or two initial pseudonyms.
"I like rich. I could do without the filthy stinking part. Probably a scam."
Seoni scans the crowd and sits near the sailors but not at their table.
|
|
Meran enters the tavern, and smiles brightly. She makes her way to the bartender. "Any chance I can sing this evening. Just for some gold, and information. I'm pretty good."
Assuming she is told yes.
Meran takes a seat on the bar, and begins to sing the sea shanty that the sailors are belting out. She, however, is on key and her voice is as clear as a bell.
|
|
As Deluge pours over the listings and plots grand arson and Capone tries desperately to talk him out of it, Seoni and Meran both have interesting encounters.
First, as Meran gets the bartenders blessing and free drinks all night she is able to entertain the sailors and win them over and they begin to spill all sorts of gossip. Of interest to this particular mission is the sailors commenting that they needed a night like this one. Too many of their loved ones had joined that weird "mask cult" lately and poured their hard earned money into it with almost reckless abandon. Supposedly the elf who leads the local temple is pretty old and VERY persuasive.
As Seoni sits at the empty table next to this action a man in a green and brown cloak sits next to her and places a bronze colored wayfinder on the table for her to see. Are you a traveler of the Open Road, friend?
Seoni eyes the man wearily while looking around.
"Aren't all travelers to some degree or another?"
She pushes the wayfinder towards him.
"Interesting trinket. To some is linked to a group of meddling do-gooders who would murder anyone who gets in the way of their theft of objects of great power. To others it is a sign of hope. And to some it is a very expensive compass. Why do you ask?"
Seoni then smiles while giving away nothing.
|
|
The man appears to picking up what Seoni is laying down. Well, maybe I need the services of a meddling do gooder who gets in the way of people's thefts of objects of great power....you know theoretically
He does not appear to have mastered the art of the bluff quite as well as Seoni but he presses on. My name is Reginar Lacklin and according to ol' Muttonchops it seems your group and myself have aligned interests and overlapping missions. Perhaps you can gather the team and meet me over at the small table over in the corner there so we can discuss? It seems your missing elf and my Razmir problem are one and the same.
"I know nothing about a missing elf but I'll find you an audience for your tale of woe."
Seoni moves around to speak with her fellow Pathfinders in a hushed tone.
"The man over there wants to talk to Pathfinders. Something about a missing elf and it's connection to the cult of Razmir."
|
|
Deluge joins the table party, still dreaming of roaring fires and roasting... masks.
"Let's order some appetizers. How about the squid fingers in coastal sauce? They sound good."
Whoever joins Deluge on his side of the table will probably be short changed in seat space as well as appetizer helpings.
