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Pierre tries to contact any local Galtan revolutionaries for aid, knowing that this is a popular hangout for ex-pats. Perhaps that f~@&er Beleg is here.
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Zax finds Sard Coalbreath, a dwarf scallywag who is gruff
and drunk and seems down on his luck. I hear that Besel can’t make it through a day without a pint or six of whatever grog the pub he’s in is selling. I don’t know what those Ardocs are involved in, and I don’t even want to—whenever someone tells me what they’re up to, I realize again that I’d probably drink myself stupid three times a day if I were one of them."
Pierre doesn't find his friend Beleg but he does hook up with Miss Feathers, a popular prostitute who, despite the name, is a hulking, muscular man with a deep, booming voice and a quick laugh. Information can be had from Miss Feathers, but comes with a lot of conversation—particularly sordid stories about bad run-ins with the locals during his day-to-day work. Eventually though, he says, "Those Ardocs aren’t stupid. They run the best golem-making factory since Thassilon, and when you run something like that, you have an obvious source of guards. I ain’t never seen Besel without at least six of those iron things stomping around behind him. If you’re trying to find him and put a hurt on him, you best change your mind, friend."
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As Pierre turns away from Miss Feathers, he sees his old grumpy Galtan friend drinking in the corner watching him. "Pierre? Gods damn it, what are you doing in this f%+!ing awful excuse for a city? Nevermind. I probably don't want to know. You're asking about Besel Ardoc and that's not good to hear. You must be f+#&ing insane. But if you insist, I was in the Augur’s Entrails over in Downmarket this morning and heard Besel say he’d be back there again tomorrow morning for something. There’s a troll on the sign pullin’ his own damn entrails out on the sign. You won’t catch me drinking in that gods-forsaken place, but I saw Besel and his iron monsters there this morning. That’s probably your best bet for finding him, friend."
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"Under the bloody blue sky, if it isn't the mother-f+$~ing revolutionary himself." Pierre says, oddly happy as he grasps the man's hand.
"You know that the Society has me out here doing f$*@ing child's work for them. They pull your ass from a counter-revolution attack and they expect ten years of your f!##ing life." Pierre commiserates.
"Thanks for the tip on Ardoc. Friendly, sort is he? Hanging out in a troll bar of all places..."
"Friendly? Psht!" Beleg shrugs and throws back his drink. "Society hasn't given me a decent mission in months. Meanwhile I'm stuck here waiting for something new. Good luck with Ardoc. Don't get lost in this f#%$ing city."
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The next morning you can find Besel Ardoc at the Augur's Entrails just as Beleg tipped you off. Besel is surprised to see you and surprised that you want to see him. "What, what is it exactly that you want?" the weasel-y man asks as stands firmly between his metal guardians.
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"Has the Society ever given you a decent mission? Last I heard, you were about to be eaten by the f+@!ing Master of Blades." Pierre says with a laugh. "I heard the cheese basket was a nice touch." he finishes with a wink before buying a round for the revolutionary as he takes his leave.
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"Oi! We're hear to follow up on the death of Collgardie. That bastard was Society an' we don't take kindly to people offing our guys." Pierre says roughly, but careful not to get too close to the guardians. "Seems your men mistook us for the killers, so we had to... dispatch them. Sorry about that." he apologizes without a hint of sincerity.
Besel chews on his lip for a moment, thinking over what you have said. "Damn fools," he finally says. "Yes, I hired them to kill anyone who came back. You're not with the Shadow Lodge though? I didn't think Pathfinders killing Pathfinders sounded too unreasonable, but never mind that now. I will take your word that you didn't kill him. I only hired those... unfortunate men... to kill Collgardie's assassins because Dakar said he would owe me a favor if I did so. And being owed a favor by Dakar is worth more than all the gold in your vaults in Absalom."
"So can you point us in the right direction? Where's this Dakar guy?"
Besel laughs uncomfortably, perhaps rudely, for a long time. When he’s done he says, "Dakar is the most secretive man in Kaer Maga, and that’s saying something. If you want to talk to him, you might as well climb to the top of the walls and shout for him all day. You don’t find him, Pathfinders, he finds you."
"I'm sorry. Shadow Lodge?" asks Pierre. "Who the f$$! is the Shadow Lodge?"
Besel shrugs. "I thought it was just a code word the Pathfinders were using to set up a lodge in Kaer Maga. I assumed you were part of that movement. Are you not?"
Why did you feel the assassins would return to his home? Why was he killed to begin with? And why does this Dakar care?
"I was only acting on behalf of Dakar. Be careful who you make deals with here, Pathfinders. Kaer Maga is a city brimming with politics—play the wrong kind and you’ll end up dead. Hell, play the right kind and you’ll end up dead. The point is, be careful who you make an enemy of here—or worse, who you end up owing a favor to."
With that Besel nods and walks away, flanked by his metallic guardians.
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Pierre laughs at the warning as he moves out into the street in front of the Augur's Entrails.
he bellows into the sky.
Turning to his compatriots, he grins and says "That should work Zax."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Pierre's method is crude but effective and before you get far in looking for food and shelter, where a thick crowd of people once stood are now only six burly men carrying cudgels and a seventh with his hand in a pouch at his belt. All seven sets of eyes are on you, while in the distance, the crowds suddenly turn and find another way past this street. “You’ve been asking about Dakar,” says the man with his hand in a pouch. “He wants a word with you.”
"In order to meet Dakar, you will have to follow my directions to the letter. In order to visit Dakar, you must agree to having these black bags placed over your heads, being put in a wagon, and then being driven around at our leisure until Dakar is ready for you. Agreed?"
The bags instantly silence you as they are placed over your heads. Your hands are tied and you are assisted into a wagon. The wagon drives about for what seems a couple hours before you are finally let out.
You find yourselves in a nice club or private residence with carpeted oors, potted plants, slaves waving fans, and a giant, backlit screen along one wall. A shape, decidedly vague in outline, can be seen behind the screen, and a voice speaks. “You’ve asked for me and now you have me. What do you wish to know?”
"You can start explaining what's up with Collgardie's murder..."
Dakar chuckles—a dry, raspy sound. “I don’t give anything away for free, Pathfinders, but I will give you the information you want in exchange for a future favor.”
Once a favor has been promised-for there is no way forward without this promise-Dakar tells you that the Shadow Lodge, something the Society hasn’t thought real for a long time, is indeed very real and that they’re using Kaer Maga to start "their little war against the Pathfinders." Dakar knows where one of their leaders is at this very moment—in the Naderi Theater in Bis, where he’s been training and collecting his goblin minions. Dakar chuckles again and says, “Yes, I hear you were attacked by goblins on the way up. They were sent by the man in the Naderi Theater. I first began to suspect he wasn’t a Pathfinder when he ordered those goblins to murder you. It's a shame they got to Collgardie before I could. He was a dear friend but I wrongly suspected the dolts would return to the scene of the crime. But now you are here instead.”
Beyond this, Dakar has no more to say to you and the men return to place the bags back over your heads and lead you once again to the wagon. Just before they do so, Dakar makes one final comment: “Try not to die, Pathfinders. I like cashing in favors that are owed to me.”
Before you stands a run-down, wooden facade with the words “Naderi Theater” painted across the top in faded letters. The painting of a young, pretty woman soaked to the bone with water and carrying a tiny dagger in one fist splashes across the front of the theater beneath the sign, though this mural is as faded as the lettering above. The ticket window is boarded up, the walls are covered in graffiti, and the doors are chained shut and have a sign that reads “Closed for renovation” nailed across them.
Upon closer inspection, however, you realize that the chains are not actually holding the door closed, they are just criss-crossed over the door for effect and you can easily let yourselves in.
The seats are all covered in white sheets, which are in turn covered in a fine layer of dust. Birds flap around in the rafters, and the fallen remnants of nests can be seen all about the seating area. On the stage is a covered piano and several chairs-the chairs are uncovered, their sheets cast aside, and piles of papers sit neatly around them. Standing near the edge of the stage, looking expectantly toward the front doors, is a man with a smirk on his goateed face. Next to him are bright red beetles. He claps his hands slowly and says, "Vadoma failed to kill you, I see. I'll have to take over."
The man acts more quickly than any of you, sending his beetle down the isle and summoning a blast of glittery over everyone but Hingle.
(+3 when underground)
Zax goes blind from the glitter but Brak charges forward and neatly cuts the giant bug in two!
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Umaga, also cannot see as the glittering particles get in his eyes.
Son of a...I cannot see either
Not being able to see, he takes up a defensive posture in hopes of protecting himself. After a few seconds, he wipes the gunk from his eyes, and menacingly stares down the enemy.
You will PAY for that damnit!
Umaga and Pierre struggle to see as the man begins casting another spell.
The man advances a bit and smirks at Brak. "You know, I wouldn't want you to trip over that beard."
Zax and Umaga make their way towards the stage and the dirty traitor murdering people in the name of the Shadow Lodge.
Pierre is still stumbling around as Brak becomes that guy who laughs way too hard and long at what was really a stupid joke to begin with. We all know someone like that....