Although Halkale's arrow narrowly misses the remaining thug, Moadis and Valik both strike him with their weapons, but the stunned man stays on his feet.
Melufiuos busies himself explaining to Hirako that they are his rescuers. Hirako seems satisfied with this and quickly moves south away from the melee.
Ophelia attempts to send the man to Pharasma's judgment, but cannot quite connect with her weapon.
T'kk'tck strikes with his conjured orb of acid, burning the thug with a discomforting sizzling sound.
The thug comes out of his stunned state to see all his compatriots dead and himself weaponless. He gulps and raises his hands, "I surrender, I surrender!"
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"So I say we leave those who attacked us and take only those who surrendered before we laid them out. The others can be left for the dogs so they don't die of hunger. But we should hurry I think before any backup arrives."
T'kk'tck will help search the ship and assist in any way his small frame can.
The group stabilizes Alejia, while Halkale ties up the conscious thug after relieving him of his possessions.
On the thugs, you discover 2 of all the of the following: potions of Cure Light Wounds, potions of Invisibility, smokesticks, tanglefoot bags, thunderstones, masterwork suits of studded leather armor, light crossbows with 10 bolts, masterwork cutlasses, masterwork thieves’ tools, and 90 gp in total.
On Alejia you find a potion of cure moderate wounds, a potion of invisibility, a scroll of blur, a +2 suit of studded leather armor, a +1 cutlass, a hand crossbow with 20 bolts, a disguise kit, a spell component pouch, and a magus spellbook.
Nothing of else of interest is found in the Topaz Titan even after a substantial search.
Hirako Gurukaza appears to be quite happy that you arrived when you did and saved his life, claiming that he will be eternally grateful for your assistance. He also promises that to send the best possible report of your bravery and dedication back to your superiors.
* * *
Loading the rescued scholar and your prisoners back on the Lionfish, your dwarf pilot Smulwarts Gultrock has no trouble sailing back to Riddleport and dropping you off at the nearest docks. As you exit, she rubs her hands greedily at the thought of her share of the ship's cargo.
Before leaving to meet with his contacts in the city, Gurukaza promises you any aid he can offer should you ever be in need of his assistance in Riddleport, and vows to do his best to ensure that Tammerhawk and any allied to the crime boss know the extent of your deeds. Shortly after he departs, some tough looking men come to retrieve the prisoners from your custody, gruffly mentioning that their boss Tammerhawk wants to 'have a little chat' with them.
Returning back to Magnimar, Venture-Captain Heidmarch expresses her thanks for your good work. A few weeks later you receive word from her that all assaults on the Order of Cyphers have ceased and it's back to business as usual in Riddleport, adding that word has spread quickly of your victory over Alejia's gang and that the Pathfinders have developed a reputation as a formidable force within the town.
The Blakros Matrimony
Only a handful of other Pathfinders, most of them initiates, walk the halls near the office of Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin. The Grand Lodge’s chamberlain sits behind an organized desk, reading a recently printed chronicle, and tapping his finger on an elaborate open envelope, the only sound in the eerily silent Pathfinder Society headquarters.
“Can you believe this place?” Valsin calmly asks, keeping his eyes squared on his chronicle. “Almost every agent worth her salt is off in Varisia right now. I bet you the Heidmarchs’ manor has more Pathfinders in it than this place.”
Valsin finishes his reading and places the document on the desk, while sliding the envelope forward.
“Desna smiles upon us that I have you fine agents here, as I doubt anyone else in Absalom is better qualified for this mission. I won’t lie, this is probably one of the trickiest tasks I’ve ever had to send a group of Pathfinders on, and much rides on its success. I need you to attend a wedding. And not just any wedding, mind you, but a Blakros wedding.”
“The Blakros family is one of the wealthiest families in Absalom—in the entire Inner Sea region, even—and we’ve cultivated a good working relationship with them over the years, thanks in part to some of you. In two days, Michellia Blakros is getting married to the former Hellknight Damian Kastner, and because of security concerns, we only got our invitation this morning. I won’t bore you with specifics, but sufficed to say, the Society has a lot of interest in this wedding, as some of our agents had a hand in helping it along.”
“The wedding is taking place on a secluded summer retreat on nearby Pariol Island, which the Blakroses own. There are two boats heading there before the first wedding festivities. One is a small supply runner set to leave in an hour that could get you there early tomorrow morning. The next is a larger ship that will transport the majority of the guests in the morning. Your travel is paid for of course, but you’ll need to get on one of those two vessels.”
With a grave nod, Valsin passes over the envelope containing the invitation, and continues. “Also, you’ll need to peace-bond any weapons when you arrive on the island, and I’d recommend only wearing your finest armor, if you wear any at all. We’re not too concerned about security at the wedding, but making a good impression on the Blakroses and their guests is key to your mission. You’ll need to mingle, and get on the good sides of as many people as you can. I can’t stress this point enough: This is a social gathering, and the Society could really use the extra clout with all our current efforts being so far abroad. I don’t care if you save the wedding from a dragon, find out the bride is a doppelganger, or discover some grand plot to take over the Inner Sea—I only care that you leave this wedding having made people happy and improving our standing among the attendees! Are we understood?”
Michella Blakros was one of the twins you rescued from the Onyx Alliance.
The Blakros family originated in Taldor, and made their initial fortune trading with both Qadira and Taldor during the nations’ centuries-long conflict. Today they are one of the most influential families in Absalom and the greater Inner Sea region.
The Blakros family weds their offspring only to those of sufficient prestige and renown. Unlike in many other marriages, those who marry into the family often take on the Blakros name following the ceremony so that any children born to the couple will also carry the Blakros name.
A requirement of marrying into the Blakros family is a dowry of some note. In many circumstances, these dowries are secret to all but the families involved until they are formally presented at the reception.
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Before the briefing, Quiella greets the party. Something seems off about her eyes, but she says nothing about it. It's so good to see you all again! Mr. Modest, your beard is whiter now, I'm sure. And Valiant, your head is even shinier than the last time I saw you! Have you been polishing it? She smirks at Mel, Meeelllloonnn... have you kept out of trouble? Saved any pretty damsels while I was away in the desert, did you? She giggles at him, then gives Halkale a playful sock on the knee. Whatever they've got in store for us, it'll be good to have you over my shoulder. You make Old Deadeye proud, I'm sure of it. Maybe sometime you can teach me a few tricks. She gives Ophelia a hug, and then steps back. Ophelia, I have a favor to ask of you...
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After the briefing, Quiella bows to Captain Valsin. Serving the society in a way that doesn't involve the risk of melting in lava, falling to my death, or getting my head bitten off sounds like an interesting change of pace.
Is there a reason we should try to be there before the other guests? It seems to me that sailing with them would give us more time to give them a good impression of the Society. Quiella pauses only a second to catch her breath. Why did the society help this blossoming romance to bloom in this way? The Blakros family's wealth makes them strategically important to the Society, of course, but what makes Damian Kastner special?
"Taking the first ship would allow you to get the lay of the land before the guests arrive."
"If you wait for the second ship, you'll also have more time to prepare. I’d like it if you could all go in formal attire, since that will give you more credibility among the nobles in attendance. If you must wear armor, consider wearing ceremonial armor, the lighter and less cumbersome the better. As I said, weapons must be peace-bonded.”
"Although it's not actually relevant to your mission at hand, the Society engineered the coupling in order to keep the Blakroses in our good graces, and Kastner is already aligned with one of our operatives. Naturally, this information does not leave this room."
As Valsin speaks, Quiella suddenly recalls the letter sent both to herself and Moadis from Ollysta Zadrian of the Silver Crusade.
Our Symbols of Righteousness,
I will not lie, things are grim in Varisia. The cult of Lissala has moved against Pathfinders and regular citizens alike, and we have recently learned that they plan to awaken a long-sleeping runelord! It is clear that more support is needed against this ever-growing threat, and we do not have enough Pathfinders to fight this battle alone.
It has come to my ear that you’ll be in attendance at the upcoming wedding of the famed Blakros family. While there, I would suggest you meet with Rubaani Shafar, commander of a mercenary company long in the Blakroses’ service. Not only will Rubaani be one of the guests you’ll wish to socialize with, but her support could aid us greatly in the growing Varisian conflict. Earn Shafar’s support, so we can finally get off the defensive and bring the battle to the cult of Lissala!
May the gods of light guide you,
Ollysta Zadrian
"No, the nobles and others of high station will wonder why you are so heavily armored at a wedding without a station to show for it." Valsin replies gruffly.
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Before the briefing, Ophelia greets the others warmly, stooping to hug Quiella with a smile. "It's been a while, little friend. Have your travels been kind to you? And what favour would you ask?"
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After taking in the briefing, she frowns, tapping her chin with one slender finger. "Keeping in the good graces of the Blakros family suggests all manner of beneficial alliances. There are those who would take any opportunity to upset an event such as a wedding, though. Does the Blakros family have any noteworthy enemies?" After a moment's thought, she adds, "As it's prudent to know all we can about what may await us, can you tell us more of the location and venue?"
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"Well I managed not to fall in the lava flows at a temple to Moloch, so I'd say so." She asks Ophelia to perform a spell on her armor.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The young elf magus shows up in a shiny new mithral shirt which he seems quite proud of. Oddly, he is being shadowed by an unmentionable man who appears to be burdened with all manner of supplies (kind of like a librarian going on a camping trip).
He flashes Quellia a roguish smile and replies, "well, I can think of one who managed to rescue herself from a nasty dessert."
Mel seems a little too pleased to play dress up, buys the full set, and spends too much time hogging the mirror.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Halkale, clearly still uncomfortable around any Venture-Captain or well anyone outside of his normal companions, starts to say something then furrows his brow and then closes his mouth. He just looks between Ophelia, Quiella and Moadis. Several times, he looks down and his clean comfortable clothes and then appears at a loss for words.
"Well, most of you know of their trouble with the Onyx Alliance, since you the ones who helped the family break their shadow contract with them." Valsin responds to Ophelia's first question with a smirk, "I suppose some jilted suitors might cause a ruckus, but again, your primary role here is to place the Pathfinder Society a positive light to all those in attendance."
"As for the location, Pariol Island was an old summer retreat used by the Blakroses for vacationing. Several years ago, their summer home burnt down in an accident involving some of the house staff when the family wasn’t present. The Blakroses abandoned the island, as they had other summer estates elsewhere. Now they’ve built a pavilion to host the wedding and all the guests, but otherwise the island is largely empty and uninhabited.”
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Moadis smiles at the sight of the blue haired gnome and blushes with her show of affection. It is good to see you again too Quiella. I hope the desert was not too harsh on you my little friend.
He hears all the Captain's instructions before saying anything.
You have my word that we will do our best to represent the society sir. With that in mind I would prefer to go on the second boat. That would provide me time to polish my armor and buy a set of cloths for the event.
"They care more for the titles they bestow on others than a lifetime of service protecting them from the horrors of the Worldwound, sadly." Valsin says with some sympathy towards Moadis.
The Venture-Captain waits for a moment for any further comments or questions before giving you the necessary information to catch the second ship in the morning and ushering you out of his office.
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Mel buys the full set, including jewelry. Plus he makes sure the Porter is clean.
-Posted with Wayfinder
After everyone completes their shopping, armor is shined appropriately, and a porter is ordered to bathe, the group arrives the next morning at the fancy galleon destined for the wedding. You are each stopped by guards that order you to peace-bond your weapons if they are not already , and ask each of you to use a charge off your wands to prove that they are not offensive magic. They ignore all scrolls and potions.
Making your way onto the ship, you see a number of dignitaries including the Pathfinder Society leaders Paracountess Zarta Dralneen, Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam, and Lady Gloriana Morilla. The Trade Prince himself greets you as you board and quickly pulls you aside for a little chat.
"Greetings friends, I've been asked to point out the more crucial friendships the Society would like to make." Aaqir takes a casual look around to make sure no one was trying to eavesdrop, then lowers his voice, subtly pointing out the individuals as he names them, "These are Nigel Aldain, the curator of the Blakros Museum; Alexander Bedard, member of Andoran's ruling council; Jeon Raeng-Woo, the Blakros trade liason with Tian Xia; and Commander Rubaani Shafar, head of security and the mercenary band that are acting as guards. Although they are not on board this ship, we would also like you to impress Lady Hamaria Blakros, the matriarch of the family and mother to the bride, and Tancred Desimire, a representative of the Chelish government and cousin of the groom via marriage, when you have the opportunity to meet them."
After imparting this information, Aaqir quickly wanders off to greet a finely dressed merchant.
Commander Rubaani Shafar is a tall and muscular Garundi woman, who looks out of place in her ceremonial half-plate armor. Her most striking feature is a large scar that covers the right side of her face. She currently stands at alert with her arms folded, carefully watching the crowd.
When approached by the rather terse ranger, she quickly sizes him up and replies, "The ship is secure. Security protocols are on a need to know basis." After that brief answer, she returns to her silent watch, ignoring Halkale.
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Valik will adjust his fancy garb. It is too constructive for his liking, but being a Society member means sometimes being out of your comfort area.
He approaches the guard commander Shafar, Greetings ma'am. My name is Valik. I have seen your keen eye on detail, something I can appreciate. Do you follow much Absalom history, I personally like how there have been countless attempts to overthrow Absalom, but none have succeeded. I see that you too hold similar glory.
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Moadis says his greetings to Nigel Aldain and starts a conversation.
Hello Mr Aldain, my name is Moadis, servant of Shellyn and pathfinder. I have had the opportunitty to visit your museum once during the rescue of lady Michellia but that was a while back. How does the renowned Blackros Museum fare this days?
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* * *
"I have a lot of people to protect, I don't have time for idle conversation." Rubaani says in response to Valik's attempt to figure out her interests.
* * *
A tall, thin elf with long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing fine clothes and silver-rimmed spectacles Nigel looks the part of an academic dandy. As he speaks with Moadis, he fidgets slightly with his glasses, "Yes, I remember you. The museum is faring quite well, I believe you would find our recent acquisitions would rival that of even your organization." Looking uncomfortable, he turns away from the paladin to find another glass of wine, ignoring Melufiuos' attempt to help.
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Much like Valik, Ophelia feels uncomfortable in her new fancy duds. Her hair spills down to her shoulders witjout its usual practical bun, and her heavy violet gown leaves much of her dusky shoulders bare. She consoles herself with the fact that she can still wear a ceremonial veil and knife - peacebonding was a minor inconvenience, but it was worth it to have a weapon. And, she reminds herself, the scrolls in her satchel should be able to help if need be.
As the others begin sizing up the dignitaries, she watches Nigel Aldain closely, trying to remember what she's heard of him. She does take a moment to sigh at Mel's attempts.
While watching Nigel Aldain attempt to excuse himself from the presence of Moadis and Melufiuos, Ophelia recalls a few key details about the elf:
Nigel Aldain is married to a Blakros daughter, but refused to take the last name. As a result, he and his wife have no children as she fears he would not raise them as Blakroses. This marital conflict has caused a rift between Aldain and much of the Blakros family, and he fears for his tenure as museum curator.
Apparently impressed with Quiella's manners and way with words, Rubaani's expression softens in the gnome's presence, "Thank you, I pride myself on our work and reputation. My great-great-grandfather agreed to provide security to the Blakros family almost 2 centuries ago, I believe that speaks highly of my company's quality."
* * *
After everyone has had a brief time to mingle with some of the guests, the Galleon arrives shortly at Pariol island. Passing a number of vessels anchored offshore, the ship eases into a long stone pier on the east end of the island and the guests are directed towards the wedding pavilion in the center of the island, all under the watchful gaze of 10 guards from Shafar's mercenary company.
The pavilion is a large canvas affair, surrounded by a number of smaller tents serving as kitchens and staging areas for the Blakroses’ staff. Tables and chairs of fine quality are arranged inside the large tent, giving guests plenty of room to move around.
As the evening festivities begin, musicians are on hand to play in the background, while the wait staff begin to serve a seemingly endless procession of food and drink. Present now is Hamaria Blakros, the mother of the bride and matriarch of the Blakros family, moving among the guests and socializing.
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After his blunder with the chief of security, Halkale stays back but follows Alexander Bedard around, watching him mingle, trying to determine if there is anything that might help the group.
Halkale approaches Bedard after a few minutes.
"Sir, if I might have a moment of your time. I am with the Pathfinder Society and I wanted to say that I've always agreed with the ideals of liberty and democracy." he says quietly.
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Quiella again approaches Commander Shafar and offers another bow, then a smile. A smooth, safe, disembarkation. The Pathfinder society would be proud to work with such a competent band. Tell me, how many of the rest of your family are in the employ of your company? Human family structures fascinate me--Gnomes do not typically value family ties, and I was adopted by a clan that found me in the wild.
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Mel will aid with Shafar.
"two centuries is a long time, even for elves. It is truly an honor to have served such, not many have that kind of commitment."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Alexander Bedard is short, muscular human man who, despite his stature, still commands an imposing presence. He is dressed in a finely tailored navy blue suit and his face is covered in a 5 o'clock shadow.
As Halkale approaches him, he is just finishing a story to a group of semi-bored nobles about his time working in the shipyards of Andoran. Upon hearing the ranger's words, he gives him a good natured slap on the back, "Excellent to hear! I only wish more of you Pathfinders tried to live up to the most noble of ideals!"
Despite Bedard's commanding presence, Halkale can detect something troubling the man behind the bravado. Walking away, he hears some of the nearby guests gossiping about the Andoran, specifically that Bedard fell in love with Michellia Blakros and asked for her hand in marriage, but was spurned.
* * *
Quiella, isn't it? Who are your friends? Commander Rubaani Shafar asks, her guard completely lowered now in the presence of the gnome paladin, "You are well-mannered group of Pathfinders who respect tradition. It's good to have you in attendance, it makes our jobs easier. After the wedding I will be happy to discuss the potential of working together. My entire family works for the company, and I hope that my future children will carry on the tradition. If any of you are interested in joining with us, we could always use more skilled warriors."
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Quiella bows her head. "Indeed. Quiella of clan Durgil. This is Melo--er, Melufiuos and Moadis."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Hamaria Blakros is an elegantly dressed woman of middle age, with olive skin and long, straight black hair. She's currently wearing a formal crushed velvet dress that accentuates her form without showing being inappropriately revealing. Her piercing gaze seems to miss little, but when speaking with her guests she always laughs politely and appears happy to make conversation. There does seem to be some cold, calculating part of her masked for the festivities, although Ophelia has trouble spotting a weakness at the moment.
* * *
As darkness falls, the party currently shows no signs of slowing, allowing you all another opportunity to make friends and influence nobles.