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"I have never seen her face, but I suspect that she’s a Graycloak." he says. "I fear that if I go to jail, I won’t survive a single night.
"I think my boss is from a “god-hating place” because she hates clerics with a passion.
"I was asked to put out inquiries for potential clients interested in something big and expensive
that would need to be moved soon.
"While I don’t know the exact location of her hideout, I know that the goods are usually kept somewhere on the north side of the Ascendant Court, in a warehouse near the Pitview Pub."
He looks to the team that has now caught up, and finishes with, "That's all that I know."
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As if summoned, a courier with the sigil of the open road on his messanger bag approaches the group. "Got a message from Grandmaster Torch for you."
He waits until Barnel leaves before telling the group that they are to immediately proceed to the Pleasure Salon of Calistria in order to discuss plans with Grandmaster Torch.
You immediately make your way there.
A burly half-orc guard stands near the entrance to the bathhouse. Grandmaster Torch reclines in one of the numerous small pools that make up the sauna, and steam fills the air. An attendant is rubbing a salve on Torch’s burn-ravaged face, but quickly gets up and leaves when Grandmaster Torch gives a silent gesture.
“I have news from the Decemvirate and perhaps some assistance for you, but first I would like to hear what your progress is.”
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Torgat would have been nervous giving a report directly to Grandmaster Torch in any event, but he is awed into momentary silence by the suggestion that he is on a mission in which the Decemvirate has taken a direct interest.
"We began with Jarid Moltwin, the relic dealer who ended up with the Shard of Iomedae's Lance, sir. He told us he received it from a fence named Barnel. As soon as we left his shop and began making inquiries about this Barnel, though, we were accosted by ruffians, who attacked us - right there in the street! - and warned us off the case."
An expression of surprised realization crosses Torgat's face, and he flushes a deeper green than usual.
"Um, I'm afraid that in our haste to continue with the mission, sir, we may have left a body or two in the public way. Sir."
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"We interviewed 2 witnesses to the crime. The first had WONDERFUL peppermint healing potions that completely get rid of the chalky aftertaste commonly associated with cure light wounds, we may want to invest... Meiomi pauses a moment as Grandmaster Torch's face seems to convolute into something more hideous than normal. "Right, sorry about that, I love... nevermind. Anyway, the first witness saw the "greycloak" commit the murder but didn't have a lot of information. The second witness told us they shot the victim from a rooftop. We ascended to the rooftop gracefully, Meiomi glares at her new friends daring them to say differently. and upon examining the roof we found an arrow coated in what appears to be a poison substance as well as a note leading us to the Pitview Pub at noon. We saw Barnel running (he was the fence) and we, well Darven, took off after him and questioned him. All of our evidence leads us to investigate this pub, Sir." Meiomi finishes with a diplomatic flourish she learned when she was an ambassador.
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“Kreighton has discovered another relic, and he claims this could be the most important one yet. Supposedly, this keg was scavenged from the ashes of the original Cayden’s Hall and is the last keg Cayden Cailean drank from before he took the Test of the Starstone. After selling it to our relic dealer, the tavern keeper threw a huge celebration and bragged openly about how the Pathfinders were funding her retirement. By now, we can assume that we have piqued the interest of every would-be relic thief in Absalom.
“While I am loathe to put you in harm’s way, this does present a unique opportunity. Should you accept responsibility for moving the keg from the pick-up location to the Grand Lodge, you will undoubtedly be the target of the relic thief we’re looking for. If you properly prepare yourselves, you might be able to reverse the ambush and catch the bandit before he makes off with the relic, or follow the thief afterward to find out where he’s been hiding. Either way, you’ll want to make sure not to kill the suspect, since whoever is behind this won’t be much use to you dead. Tracking down the culprit’s main site of operations is the most important thing right now—after that, you should search for as much incriminating evidence as possible.
“It’s a huge gamble—which somehow seems appropriate when a relic of Cayden Cailean is on the line. This isn’t the sort of thing I would normally ask a Pathfinder to do, but we’ve already lost one courier and another was badly injured. I’d like this ordeal to finally be over with, and with your help, we can make that happen.”
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"Ow!"
Torgat glares at the compsognathus, then turns back at Grandmaster Torch.
"Of course! That sounds like an excellent plan, sir. Um, is that part the news from the Decemvirate, or the assistance?"
Is Master Kreighton one of the Ten? This is one of the best-guarded secrets in Absalom, and I've been allowed in on it already! I must be doing very well here! This is very exciting!
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"My suspicion will go into high gear when we get that relic, trust me, I'm already on alert. Now, do we want to get into character as porters, with guards, or some such? I've been a porter before, so I can easily fulfill that role...
Meiomi starts off at a brisk walk, stops, confused for a moment, walks back and asks, "Did we get the information on where the trade was going to happen? Lets not all rush off without knowing where we're going, unless it's back to the Pitview pub?"
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Cayden’s Last Keg is 3 feet in diameter and 4 feet tall, and weighs 75 pounds. The relic merchant has thoughtfully provided a small wagon pulled by a donkey to transport it. The keg has old char marks on it as if it had been in a fire, and it still sloshes with the remnants of hops and ale. The innkeeper kept it in active service (as Cayden would prefer), and it has been refilled innumerable times since it was first put into use.
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Grandmaster Torch gives the Pathfinders one additional thing... a scroll of locate object, "just in case".
After sixteen minutes of winding through Absalom's streets, while passing near the Avenue of the Hopeful, suddenly, you all hear a woman call out, "It's her!" and point to Meiomi sitting atop the wagon. A rush of twenty some odd people rush towards the wagon!
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The crowd completely ignores Darven. However, it quickly becomes obvious to them that Meiomi is not one attempting the Test of the Starstone, they quickly disperse.
As you come around another corner, you run into a small crowd of intoxicated revelers singing about the improbable accomplishments of a famed Taldan prostitute. Spying the keg, one of them shouts, “Ale!” and the drunkards rush forward to claim their share.
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"No, sorry, they have the proper permits. Don't worry, it won't be too long" says the Greycloak.
And, to his credit, the parade passes by after about five minutes.
A wagon loaded with over a dozen chicken cages has toppled onto its side ahead, and a farmer and a local vendor are arguing loudly over whose fault it was rather than clearing the alley.
EXPLOSIVE RUNES!
Quit peaking folks!
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Meiomi perks up at the first possible actual action appears. This is awfully convenient guys... weapons ready? because it is obvious to look to the commotion, Meiomi scans the surroundings.
Almost as soon as she says this, the keg the team is escorting disappears! Meiomi sees a young woman stuff a tiny keg into a pouch, and she looks ready to run away! The woman then casts a spell, and vanishes!
2
5
6
3
4
1
- x D
- => Darven
- => Torgat
- ?
- Kinshasa
- Meiomi
U = Unconscious
S = Surprised
D = Delay
=> Active
Conditions:
Darven 27/27
Kinshasa 12/12
Meiomi 14/14
Torgat 7/7
Enemies:
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Torgat sees the woman disappear, and shouts, "Her invisibility won't last long! Block the alley!"
Acting as quickly as he can, Torgat shoves one hand into the pouch of miscellaneous components hanging from his belt to grab at a miniature shovel and maneuvers the other through a series of odd gestures, all the while chanting arcane phrases in his melodious Garundi accent. With a sound of cobblestones scraping against one another, a five-foot square of the alley where Torgat last saw the barrel thief sinks several inches below grade.
You create a shallow extra-dimensional hole perfectly sized to trip anyone who steps within it. This hole occupies a single 5-foot square with a depth of six inches. Any creature occupying the square when you first create the hole, or who later steps into the square containing the hole, must make a Reflex saving throw to avoid falling prone in an adjacent square and taking 1d6 points of damage. A creature that makes its saving throw still stumbles ever so slightly and takes a -1 penalty on all rolls and checks for 1 round. The spell has no effect on creatures adjacent to the square containing the hole.
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Darven moves up, but does not see anyone.
Then Torgat casts his spell, but he does not hear any response to it.
The woman then appears, finishing a spell. Glittery sand appears in a POOF around Meiomi, Torgat (and Trex), as well as the donkey. The donkey falls asleep, but neither Torgat nor Trex do.
- x D
- x Darven
- x Torgat
- x T
- => Kinshasa
- => Meiomi
U = Unconscious
S = Surprised
D = Delay
=> Active
Conditions:
Darven 27/27
Kinshasa 12/12
Meiomi 14/14
Torgat 7/7
Enemies:
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A second woman,who looks identical, down to the clothes and all features, appears as she casts a spell on Meiomi, shouting out "No! Don't shoot Tersula!"
She cast daze
Meiomi's focus seems to slip as the spell hits her.
- x Durnil
- => Darven
- => Torgat
- Tersula
- Kinshasa
- Z Meiomi
x - acted
Z - Dazed
U = Unconscious
S = Surprised
D = Delay
=> Active
Conditions:
Darven 27/27
Kinshasa 12/12
Meiomi 14/14
Torgat 7/7
Enemies:
Durnil:
Tersula: