GM Endless Forms' PFS 03-17 Red Harvest (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Outside
"What's to be done then? Seems the least we can do is travel to meet this person we are supposed to 'remove'. If she is fair and just, perhaps we can align ourselves with her. If he is evil and strikes out against us, we can lay her to rest without issue."

Outside "It is my opinion that we were sent here to do one thing.. Gain access to the Lotus Annals and either bargain for them, or make a copy.. We are not here to solve the problems of these people.. We know that if we help Lady Aishwarya we will get access to them.. With that said i say we talk to this Dhanishta and see what her response on the subject is.. By the way i was tasked by the Lantern Lodge in helping my party members in completing their associated factions missions. To further trust between my lodge and yours. I tell you this in trust and i hope y'all will accept my and the Lantern Lodges offer of help.." She pauses.. "But back to our dilemma.. My thoughts are to see what Dhanishta will take for a peek at the Annals.. Remember we have to sack of gems to offer as well.."

"I agree with Seelah. If we must choose sides in this conflict, perhaps it is wisest to side with the traditionalists; if they win, they will always have a chance to choose differently in the future. If they lose, there will likely be no going back."

"Let's visit Dhanista. I did not come here to start a revolution. But rather to obtain a rare tome."

Thoth pauses, thinks a bit and continues
Those that believe they have a right to rule, usually make the worst rulers.

"Well that and my ulterior agenda to find unusual magic that the people of the Inner Sea have never seen or even heard of. If I happen to discover such new and exciting magics, I will need a moment to study them. The better enabling me to report back to some powerful contemporaries in Sothis. Selena dear, your help in these matter would be greatly appreciated.

"I will do my best to keep an eye out for any such unusual magics.. Shall we inform the mistress of our plans? She will most doubtly be disappointed, Thoth perhaps you could use your diplomatic skills to try and smooth things over. Or i could attempt to embeilish and say that were going to talk to Dhanista to size her and her people up.. Im open to suggestions.."

"Seelah is the diplomat Selena my dear, I am the not so humble translator. If embelishment however is what you desire, I am definitely a master of bending the truth."

Thoth stares vacantly at the cracks in the floor pondering something, then looks up and continues

The mistress knows we are here as neutral bystanders... I believe she gave us leave to talk to Dhanista when she stated that we could not get a better deal from her rival.

GM the Naga told us that the local economy could not handle the potential cultural and economic domination from opening the gates. As Thoth looks around the town he would try to take note of any evidence that would support this claim and use an appropriate knowledge check if possible.

Knowledge (local) or Appraise.

know local 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37

Once combat starts those 20's vanish

Thoth you rolled good on knowledge for both nagas right? If so your character would know that one has good tendency and one has evil tendencies right? That could sway party judgement is why i ask

The one we are talking to now should be lawful good, the one we are going to see is Chaotic Evil.

"Remember when I told Seelah to keep an open mind? Well that is only because I believe that the naga Dhanista that we are about to visit, is wholly and unrepentingly evil."

"I have no problem putting such a creature to eternal rest. Is that what you mean?"
As an aside, Seelah asks, "Does anyone have any paper and a pen? I should like to make a sketch before we go."

This to everyone ^

After Thoth shares this new info.. "Well it seems these are not your ordinary run of the mill nagas.. Seelah would you mind diplomatically telling Lady Aishwarya that were gonna speak with Dhanishta on the matter please?"

Lady Aishwarya nods gravely.

A few moments later the tengu Taicho comes walking down the street towards the party. He frowns at the mining office that you stand in front of. "I looked for you at the inn. I was told that you had left with Bakji and feared that you might have come here. I hope Aishwarya has not poisoned your mind yet. The Lady Dhanishta would like to speak with you."

The tengu marches off down the street towards the other end of town. The red coffee warehouse known as the Exchange used to be the center of trade in the village of Nibung. Located on its eastern hill, all serious business transactions passed through the Exchange, with the naga Dhanishta taking a small cut of each. Nowadays the building is quiet, with empty boxes stacked high waiting for trade goods that will never arrive, although the place still smells of the coffee beans that were once stored here.

Dhanishta the spirit naga, her tengu lieutenant Taicho, and a few of her select nagaji mercenaries make their home here, along with a guest from the faraway capital of Zom Kullan: the tax collector Iltame, a thin female nagaji.

Dhanishta is large for her species, measuring nearly 15 feet in length and weighing over 300 pounds. Her scales are midnight blue with silver highlights, and her human face looks like a middle-aged Tian-Dan woman with silver hair. She is quite soft spoken, never raising her voice in anger.

"Welcome, Pathfinders. I have heard much about you by now, of course. Come and let me tell you tales of the plight of the poor nagaji peasants who are trapped in the ancient, inflexible caste system, unable to better themselves. Aishwarya is far too young too rule this city and far too content to maintain the unacceptable status quo."

"So, assuming you haven't yet fallen at Aishwarya's feet, what will it take to bring you to my side? What is it that you seek?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

"You mention that the nagaji are trapped in the caste system, but have they ever known any other life? Have nagaji ever ruled themselves?"

"I can only speak for myself and not my fellow Pathfinders. I desire strange magic that the inner sea has never seen or heard of, and an actual copy of the Lotus Annals for my research."

"In truth, the Lotus Annals are that which we seek most, as my companion has mentioned. If we could only gain a copy, we might be happily on our way as quickly as possible."

So nobody has paper? Is there a market in this town?

Unfort pregen sorc dont come with paper lol.. Knowing your faction mission you would have prob procured some before we ever departed..

"Indeed we seek access to the Annals.. We will pay for them if that is what you wish.. As a hole i think we would rather stay out of the power struggling affairs here.. If we can reach a monetary aggrement for them, or access to them, than we will be on our way.."

The naga smiles as she considers all that you have told her. "Ah, I see now why you held council with Aishwarya first. The Lotus Annals were supposedly written by an ancestor of Aishwarya. You realize of course, that if they were to disappear from the village along with the village’s spiritual leader, Avinash, the guardian naga would lose one of her strongest claims to power. Unfortunately, Avinash protects the Lotus Annals. If he were to disappear, you could take the Lotus Annals, and I would be free to challenge Aishwarya in open combat. Quite a convenient situation for the both of us."

Dhanishta sits back and thinks for a moment. "Of course, I don't expect you to shed your own blood in honor of my cause. And if you were to fight Avinash, I guarantee you would bleed. He is a being of some power.

"Luckily, however, he has acquired more than his share of vices over the years. One of these is an addiction to a fermented fruit beverage known as lenoo. Now, if you were to replace one of his bottles of lenoo with a sample tainted with a strong sedative, when he drinks his nightly lenoo, Avinash will unwittingly drink himself into unconsciousness, providing you an opportunity to take him out with little to no resistance.

"So you see, I am really helping you get what you want with as little trouble as possible. It just so happens that taking out the old worm will help my cause too." The naga pulls a small vial from behind a cushion and offers it out to you. "What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Tempting, Avinash is evil... but poison??? Naga's of Dhanista's type are not to be trusted either.

"It seems we have come to a crossroad. Do we have your leave to sleep on this before we make our decision?"

"Certainly. I hear you already have rooms at the inn? I will have Tiacho search for you there tomorrow if we do not hear back."

"That does seem best. Let us retire to our quarters and consider our options seriously."

"I agree.. Come let us go.. Good day Dhanista.."

Back at the Inn

"I dunno about yall, but if i had to deal with either of those naga it would be Aishwarya.. Dhanista seems to be a most untrustworthy soul.. Honestly my opinion is we help neither.. Like i said before we're not hear to solve their political issues.. We know where the Annals are and who has them.. If this caretaker is truely evil perhaps he can be bought.. We have 5k gps in gems here.. I say we try that route over helping the naga.. If nothing else he surely will let us see them for that kind of money.. And then we simply make a copy and be on our way. Thoughts? Although helping Aishwarya might open up relations between the Pathfinders and the Naga folk.. hmm.. "

"We aren't here to open a relationship between the Pathfinders and the naga. We are here simply for the artifact. And a small matter of a map, if we have time. I think we should follow the plain laid out for us by Dhanishta. If we can knock out Avinash with the vial, we can make off with the Lotus Annals. We can also leave everyone alive to sort out their own differences, rather than finish Dhanishta's dirty work."

"I did not think your paladin code allowed the use of such tactics."

Thoth finishes the monks sentence for him

"and I did not think someone supporting the Andoran cause would think a caste system is superior to a democratic revolution."

Thoth nods at the Dwarf acknowledging he may have crossed a line and continues

"Avinash will respect whomever he sees as his superior, we may be able to bribe him. We might also be able to obfuscate the truth and convince him to let us have a "look" the Annals. But ultimately we may have to choose a side. I believe that Dhanista is a bit too self serving and may be attempting to use us to outright kill Avinash with her sleeping aid. My observations tell me that the economy would not be able to sustain itself with Dhanista's plans. I think we would side with the Guardian Naga and the old ways"

Pre Gen Paladins have no code, there is no atonement to pay for ;)

Selena looks sidelong at Seelah.. Did she just say that "Hahah funny joke Seelah.. If were to help a naga it should be Aishwarya for as far as i can tell she is the rightful ruler here.. Ntm she doesn't seem nefarious in her intentions.. Now im all for not helping either.. Thats why i proposed offer Avinash the money for a peek and the Annals.. And i will help you with a map if you wish Seelah.."

"I can see merit in all sides. But this Avinash seems the most questionable to me. If he is indeed evil, I would be inclined to end him myself. But that would unbalance the local politics, which I believe is beyond moral judgement at this point, thus we should remain neutral. But if we take the artifact, leave payment, and return it later, without shedding blood, we will complete our mission in the most neutral manner possible."

"I think the most neutral path would be to offer Avinash the gems for access to the Annals.. If he refuses i say he help Aishwarya.."

I'll let you guys discuss a little more but I'll just remind you of what Dhanishta pointed out: Avinash and the Annals are vital to Aishwarya's claim to power. If the Annals disappear her cause will be hurt greatly. If you steal the Annals or kill Avinash you will, in a sense, be supporting Dhanishta.

Basically this scenario is written to present you with a tough decision and it makes it almost impossible to stay neutral. I'm willing to entertain any ideas if you are set on staying neutral, but there's no "wrong" answer here. You will not fail if you choose one naga over the other. You can still accomplish the scenario goal whichever naga you choose to support. It's more about what your character feels is right and/or who your character would support.

Since this was a pregen i've based her decisions solely on alignment and i think a LN character would try to side with rightful rule.. Ntm i wouldn't think deception would be something that alignment would be for.. Nor stealing.. With that said my choice is to try and buy a look at the Annals and barring that not working, help Aishwarya..

party alignments LN, LN, LG, & N. the choice does not seem so hard.

Good point.

Well it seems we are in agreement.. Shall we try to barter with Avinash or go stright to Aishwarya?

"I agree with Seelah. If we must choose sides in this conflict, perhaps it is wisest to side with the traditionalists; if they win, they will always have a chance to choose differently in the future. If they lose, there will likely be no going back."

"I dunno about yall, but if i had to deal with either of those naga it would be Aishwarya.. Dhanista seems to be a most untrustworthy soul..."

"I think we would side with the Guardian Naga and the old ways"

"So how should we go about this, I doubt Aishwarya will want the jewels. Maybe we can attempt to bribe Dhanishta and have her leave for a while, convince Aishwarya Dhanishta is gone for good, copy the annals. Dhanishta will return when she runs out of loot or upon our negotiated time. We all win without actually choosing sides."

Bartering sounds like the most hassle-free, but I'm a little concerned that Avinash will just mug us. So... not sure.

"I believe Avinash is loyal to Aishwarya."

"That seems... dishonest. But it may be the best way to avoid bloodshed. Hmm..."

"I mentioned the 5k to Dhanishta and she didn't even bat an eye.. I doubt she will be bribed off her position.. But i do think that Avinash might.. I think it would be worth our effort to try.. Although if he is loyal to Aishwarya than that might cause a problem if he tells her.. On a side note if they are allies it decreases Aishwarya standing with me to know she has evil allies.. Either way thats still my opinion on what we should do.."

I'll just jump in and say that Avinash is an nagaji working at a temple; he probably won't take a bribe too easily and would definitely tell Aishwarya. Also, just to clarify, Avinash and Aishwarya aren't allies per say, but he is the spiritual leader and respects the fact that she is the rightful heir.

well that just made up my mind then.. I say we help Aishwarya..

Same here. I'm in.

I'm down.

"So we've picked a side, let's discuss some tactics now."

"We should challenge this tax collector in open combat to make it an honorable defeat." Seelah says with stern pride.

"Alright Lady Seelah vs Dhanishta in an honorable one vs one duel. When you fall, and you will fall, the rest of us can finish her with our honor lost but our lives intact. Any other ideas?"