|
By invitation only...
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for Levels 3–7.
Absalom is Golarion’s busiest and most populous city, but one of its largest populations goes largely unnoticed. You must venture into the sewers beneath the City at the Center of the World to stop the meddling dragons within from disrupting a vital Pathfinder Society operation.
Written by Dennis Baker.
---
This will be a semi-closed game. By agreement of all players and the GM, we'll be using the kobold pregens from True Dragons of Absalom. There will be much hilarity ensuing.
Note: due to the nature of this twist, the GM may have to ... tweak ... some interactions!
|
|
The team of five Sewer Dragons is once again out on patrol. The menace to their sewers caused by the portal into Shadow Absalom has been abated, and they now had a new "king", the shadow dragon Shadrixis.
They had treated the young dragon well... perhaps too well. He currently sits upon the majority of the wealth of the Sewer Dragons, and refuses to leave his "throne room" (which, ironically, is the ruins of a members only bathhouse). Shadrixis has the Sewer Dragons now out, searching for wealth and food, to placate his "imperial wrath".
They are checking a large culvert when they see a familar eyestalk poke up out of the muck, quickly followed by a tentacle adorned with a rather damp bicorn hat, with the symbol of Besmara adorning it. "ARRR Mateys! You have wandered into the realm of BlackHat, Scourge of the sewers!"
|
|
”’Tis a might fine hat your gots there, me hearty. Ye can hand it over for for tribute ‘ere I kill me hostage. ”
Another tentacle pops up from under the muck. This one is adorned in a double-coned princess hat, complete with tassels and a veil. In a loud, squeaky voice, the creature cries out, ”He will do it, too! He’s been threatening me for hours! Besides, didn’t you give us that lovely magical hat before, in return for help from Lord Pontelroy? Oh, the horror, miscreants and thieves! The sewer robbers are leaving me to Blackhat and a date worse than death,” the tentacle flops onto the muck, the hat remaining on its ... head.
Fazgyn rises to the occasion.
"No, my fair maiden! Leave me not! I can not perish the thought of living in this sewer without your radiant presence at my side."
He dramatically lifts the tentacle to his chest, cradeling it as if it was something valuable.
|
With a sly wink, Engashez bows low to BlackHat, keeping her head just out of Tentacle Reach. "Beggin' ye pardon BlackHat, but if a Pirate gave up her Booty whenever asked, she wouldn't be gettin' yer respect. Besides, I'd bet on Besmara's Barnacles that we ken come to some sort of accord given a chance to parley?"
|
|
Floating around a corner on his Floating Disk, Varanog suddenly leaps to his feet.
"VILLAINY IS AFOOT! VILLAIN, STAND DOWN OR FACE THE POWER OF THE GREAT VARANOG! DO NOT MAKE ME UNLEASH THE POWER OF THE ARTIFACT OF THE SEWER DRAGONS, WHICH HAS BEEN BLESSED UPON ME!" Varanog pulls a scroll from his robes. "STAND BACK ALLIES, I WOULD NOT WANT YOU CAUGHT WITHIN THE WORLD ENDING BLAST THAT THIS ARTIFACT SHALL COMMAND!"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Yet another tentacle arises, this one with the familiar hat of a naval commodore. "Why I do declare, the be the very dragons that we saved not a fortnight ago!" says the creature, bobbing the this hat down in a quick bow. "Lord Pontelroy at your service! Did you recover yon chapeau after your adventures in the shadowlands?
"Be that as it may, we have been done upon by this foul miscreant! You must save us... preferable without unleashing the power of dragons upon him."
"Blackhat" then cuts in, "Be quiet, you ponce! Your ransom is one million gold pieces, and not a penny less! And I would wager that hat be worth at least that, so a fair trade indeed it shall be.!"
At this moment, and doddering old man in beggars robes... extremely finely made beggars robes at that walks up. "Now, now, Hats." he says. "These most capable defenders of the exalted Sewer Dragon tribe of Absalom — rulers of the sewers — don't have time for your little games."
At that, the otyugh pushes himself up out of the muck. "But Drandle, I was just startin' to have fun!" he whines. "They was gonna give me a new hat!"
|
|
"AH! THE OLD MAN KNOWS HIS PLACE IN THE HIERARCHY OF HORSEPOWER!"
Varanog urges his floating disk further forward.
"NOBLE DRANDLE OF THE SOCIETY OF PATHFINDERS, WHAT BRINGS YOU TO OUR HOME AGAIN? NOT LOST, I HOPE! DO YOU SEEK THE POWER OF VARANOG TO SAVE THE CITY OF ABSALOM - AGAIN? OR PERHAPS YOU BRING ITEMS IN TRIBUTE TO THE SEWER DRAGONS! THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED, AS OUR NEW LORD HAS A LARGE APPETITE!"
|
|
"Oh, you simple minded aberation." says Dreng says to Hats, as he reaches into a messenger bag, and hands the otyugh a green and white tuke. The bicorn is dropped into the muck, as Hats grabs the new hat.
He bows to Varanog and the other Sewer Dragons. "So, oh great and mighty rules of the sewers, I have a small favor to ask of you. One that you will probably be happy to fulfil.
"Something is happening with the timestream, and all indications are that someone has gone back in time, and interfered with the Pathfinder Society mission that resulted in the alliance between The True Power Under Absalom and the Pathfinder Society."
He pulls our several wax-sealed envelopes from his satchel, and holds them out for the kobolds. "I would like you to come up the the Grand Lodge with me, and then our Master of Scrolls, Kreighton Shaine, will be using the Sky Key to send you back to replace the missing team. You must give my past self the first package, which will explain to me why you are there."
Dreng gets a confused look on his face. "Yes, yes, I think that is what I want you to do. Would you be willing to save Absalom once more, so that your Most Imperial Highness, the Great Dragon Shadrixis may continue to reign supreme over all creatures above or below Absalom?"
With this, he gives as deep and dramatic a bow as his creaking old bones will allow.
|
|
Engashez, in a fit of Excitement, jumps up and down at the mention of 'Time Travel.' "I have heard a tale of two bards that traveled through time to tell a most Excellent Story! I would LOVE the opportunity to follow in their footsteps!" Quickly grabbing all of the packages from the Dreng, she shoves them into her bag before turning to the other Kobolds.
"Ok Kobold Team: Master of Wine Drendle Dreng has a very important mission for us in Absalom! As the de-facto Mission Leader, He trusted me to relay this assignment to you all. Our first mission: Meet the Master of Scrolls in the Grand Lodge, where he will give us a Key that Unlocks the past! Then, in heading to the past, I, in the most glorious of fashions, will deliver one of the envelopes entrusted to Me to the Master of Wine in the past. Do you have any questions?"
After giving her short and succinct mission briefing, she expectantly waits for any questions that her subordinates have.
|
|
"ENGASHEZ I BELIEVE YOU HAVE MASTERED THE EXTRANEOUS ECHO SPELL, AS I TOO HEARD THIS REQUEST! WE SHALL TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, REPAIRING THE RIFT IN CONTINUITY!"
Varanog leaps to his feet, holding up his dual-headed rod, causing both dragon heads to start flaring with blue flames.
"THE SCROLLY SHAINE MAN WILL GRANT US GALL TO GATHER MORE OFFERINGS FOR THE GREAT SHADRIXIS!"
Fazgyn winces trough the whole ordeal.
"Ugh, why do you always have to be a fun killing lizard Varanog. I was having good fun with Hats."
He high fives one of the tentacles. "You da best sever buddy Hats. Looks like I will have to leave and keep these waterheads from getting in too much trouble, but when I get back we can totally play 'rescue the princess' again."
He turns to Engashez. "And I still have my hearing. You dont have to repeat everything for me. I lost a toe, not an eardrum, altough I might if you and Varanog get into a shouting match again."
"Blast... still cannot find the right mixture of hunny and nitrogliceroxide.", shouts a preturbed kobold, now muttering more calculations to himself as he approaches the party late.
"Dreng!", Athrax yips, ignoring his fellow kobolds. "Are we in for another amazing adventure that needs my kobold know-how?"
|
|
With an Excited Outburst, Engashez looks at Athrax. "It is good to see you again friend Athrax! You have just barely missed our Adventure Briefing from Master of Wines, Drendle Dreng! He want's to send us BACK IN TIME!!!" As she mentions this, she doffs her cap slightly, transforming from her Besmaran Best to a Ratty patched robe, complete with matching Wig and Beard.
Barely able to contain her excitement, she shows all of the packages from Dreng to Athrax, before continuing. "Let me catch you up! As the de-facto Mission Leader, He trusted me to inform you of our Top Secret Mission. Part 1: Meet the Master of Receipts in the Grand Lodge, where he will give us a Magic Time Portal!" Taking just enough time to doff her cap again, her attire quickly changes to a Long blonde wig, with peach colored false pointed ears attached to the side. A fine beige tunic, with a set of fine dancing slippers completes the ensemble, with a rose in her hand. "Afterwards, it is Your duty to ensure that I make it Safely to the Past Master of Wine and deliver this SUPER SECRET package! Do you have any questions?"
|
|
Drandle Dreng interrupts the kobolds playful banter. "Now, Great and Mighty Sewer Dragons, Rulers of the Undercity, perhaps Engashez has it right. Perhaps if he were to use his tricksy little hat to deign to make himself look like a trusted Pathfinder, my past self might be a little more amenable to receiving the package. If the rest of you were to, perhaps, try and disguise your true awesomeness, to perhaps look like some skulking halflings, or something, that might go a long way towards preventing my past self from just dismissing you outright.
"I might just be an old man now, but I was a much less enlightened old man then. I hadn't been taught the glorious righteousness that are the Sewer Dragons... to me, back then, you were just a nuisance. I have been taught differently, since!"
At this time, the team arrives u\p through the sewers into a well lit room. A halfling woman is talking excitedly to an elven man. "Master Shaine, do you think that I will be able to escort another team of rookie Pathfinders again, soon? It was ever so much fun."
Before the Master of Scrolls has a chance to respond, the halfling woman screeches in what you can only be glee, as she bares her dull teeth in a gaping smile, hardly scary in the least! "SQUEEEEE!!! You must be the Sewer Dragons! I've been just dying to meet you! Athrax, is that you?"
Fazgyn winches at the halflings shriek.
"It would be hard to contain our magnificent and true form. Also. Halflings dont have tails, last time I checked. Perhaps we can stand on each others shoulders and wear a big coat and pretend to be a Naga-gi?"
|
|
Dreng chuckles at Fazgyn's comments... "I would have thought such masters of mischief as yourselves, you could figure something out."
It is at this time that Athrax is engulfed by an overly enthusiastic halfling's hug!
The elf finally seems to notice that the kobolds have arrived. 'Oh, my, well isn't that interesting. I wonder, will sending you back into your own timestream cause a paradox that would rip the multiverse into a million pieces? I should be concerned about that, shouldn't I, Kreighton?"
He answers himself, "Well, yes, of course you should be. We have experienced the fracturing ourselves. It was most disconcerting."
In his hands is a wondrous device, glowing green. "I've... gathered a few seekers to help. It is charged by lightning. We've figure out a little more about how it works... we think."
Fazgyn emediately forgets all around him at the sight of the strange device. "What is that marvelous thing? Let me touch it".
Two grabby hands reach for the sky key.
Fazgyn jumps a few times but cant reach. He contemplates climbing on the elf to get to the device.
"I'm the trapmaster! No device can hold its mysteries hidden from me for long!"
Athrax, unused to such stardom despite being the BEST Pathfinder agent with scales that lives in a sewage environment, is shocked at his sudden fanbase. "Errr, why yes, it is I! Were you my latest guin-, err, volunteer for the greatest alchemical weapon known in the kobold-verse?", he asks the excitable halfling.
But at the foppish elf's comments, his mind goes a new direction.
"A paradox... two Athraxii = twice the research = twice the progress on my honey bombs!", the kobold's face a twisted amalgamation of potential joy and sadistic glee.
"Umm, yes, so what should we do to NOT cause a paradox. I mean, like because, that would be bad for everyone else and would not be the greatest thing ever for me."
|
|
Janira giggles at Athrax's question, "No, silly, we were on some missions together not to recently. Don't you remember?"
Kreighton listens to Athrax, and nods. "No, my little friend, that would not be a good thing. Trust someone who has fractured himself... it is not a pleasant experience.
"So, if everyone is ready. Set up your disguises, and put yourself into the arcane circle on the floor over there, and we'll charge the Sky Key!"
Fazgyn looks around a bit worried, not willing to admit he's actually not that good at disguising.
"Eh... Somone got a big coat I can borrow?"
"Ahh yes... sorry, I've been testing an odoriferous new compound that has some memory side effects. And I've been testing an odoriferous new compound that has some memory side effects."
Ahtrax, upon hearing Kreighton's request, puts a little glue on the top of his snout, affixing a crude 'mustache' of rat hair.
|
|
Thinking to herself, Engashez scratches her chin before a bit of Inspiration strikes. "I know! Janira, what do you think of THIS?" before adjusting her hat into a blue cowl and cloak, worn over simple a simple artisan's outfit. "How do I look as a Halfling? Blue cloak so you guys know it is me!" After her quick transformation, she steps into the arcane circle, ready for her Excellent Adventure!
|
|
Drandle Dreng, Kreighton Shaine, and Janira Gavix lead you four up to the foyer outside of Dreng's office. "Seems to be the best place to start. I seem to recall waiting in my office, lamenting that the team I sent out got eaten or something."
Shaine sets the Sky Key up on a high pedestal, and indicates that the kobolds should stand underneath it. At this time, a trio of robed figures step into the room.
Fazgyn has found a coat and a bedraggled fedora somewhere. He wraps a scarf round his snout.
"This will have to do."
|
|
The third is a ratfolk man, all decked out in a bright purple outfit, a silver-handled walking stick, and a faerie dragon on his shoulder. "I know, Riddywhipple." he says to the dragon. "We'll help them out, won't we?"
"Sure thing, boss!" says the faerie dragon. "Say, those are kobolds. I bet they want to worship me, 'cause I am a dragon!" The tiny dragon puffs himself up, and then lets out a cloud of euphoria gas at Athrax!
"Calm down, Riddy! We aren't hear for that. The Master of Scrolls wants us to use our magic to power the Sky Key."
|
|
The tiefling responds, "I am surprised that you even know about the Sky Key, ratman. I figured you would be too busy playing pimp to pay attention to current events."
He turns to Shaine, "You really want to play with this thing again? From what I have heard, you haven't recovered from the last time we used it."
|
|
Kreighton Shaine just smiles... and says to the wizards, "Shall we?"
The four all start casting spells... and throw massive bolts of electricity into the Sky Key.
They throw spell after spell into the item, and it glows massively, until it discharges!
When the light-sensitive eyes of the kobolds clear, they are in the same room, but the others are no longer there. The decor is slightly different, in subtle ways.
There is a door to what is probably Drandle Dreng's office (based on the sign).
Fazgyn adjusts his scarf, muttering, "stupid magic users. Thinking they are beter then us."
He checks if he still has all of his claws and that his tail is still whole. "I appear to have made the journey in one piece. Are you all allright?"
Athrax looks around, and seeing the change in surroudings, he quickly scribbles chicken-scratch notes about the experience. ...don't feel younger...surprisingly hungry...
|
|
You notice a smallish package on the floor next to you, with the sigil of the open road on top of it. It also has the symbol of the Sewer Dragons on it.
Fazgyn snatches a small package of the floor before Varanog can do it and proclaim something stupid about himself.
He sniffs it. "Did one of the magic users drop this?"
When it doesnt look trapped he carefully opens it.
Seeing the bright, new, shiny wayfinders, Athrax nabs it and draps it around his neck. He looks menacing at the others with a glare that simply says, 'Mine'
|
|
Engashez perks up as Athrax and Fazgyn are looking over the small package. "Oh, what is is that you have there?" Upon seeing the wayfinders, she practically SHRIEKS with delight, before immediately snatching one up. "OUR VERY OWN WAYFINDERS! We can be OFFICIAL PATHFINDERS going on OFFICIAL MISSIONS!"
"Yes, Engashez, please scream that around a bit more while we're trying to be 'real' pathfinders outside the office of one."
Fazgyn tosses a wayfinder to Varanog.
Mustache and wayfinder primed, Athrax's ego leads him to enter the office. "Athrax, the greatest alchemist the sewers has ever known, has arrived!"
|
|
Upon hearing the Invitation, Engashez tromps into the office, new wayfinder already worn with pride around her neck. Puffing out her chest, she goes into full speech mode. "Greetings Master of Wines! We were very -specifically- sent to help with whatever trouble might be coming your way! I have been entrusted with a very special package from our recruiter. Although we may look rather unorthodox, I assure you that you couldn't ask for a better, more qualified team!" Upon handing over the bundle 'entrusted' to her by Future Dreng, she smiles with an oddly toothy grin for a halfling. "I am Engashez, SPEAKER FOR D... DOWNTRODDEN! At your service! So, what can a Humble Halfling do to aid you in your missions?"
|
|
A somewhat younger looking Drandle Dreng sits at his desk, looking startled as a quartet of "halflings" burst into his office. He looks like he is about to do something, when he sees the wayfinders worn by the four. At his conference table a breakfast spread has been laid out with eight place-settings.
"Master of Wines? Why, I don't know what you are saying! I may just be an old man, who has worked for the Pathfinder Society all of his adult life, but I have never seen a halfling leading a team of kobolds." Dislike for what should be his draconic masters is clear from his voice.
He looks to the package thrown onto his desk by Engeshez. Sounding genuinely startled, he says, "Why, this is my own seal! How did you vermin get your hands on my seal?"
He quickly looks over the package, and then breaks his seal. A small burst of energy flashes in sequence of lights when he does so. "Odd, you wouldn't have known about that... so what is in here?"
He opens the parcel, and finds a stack of folders, and a handwritten note. He looks startled as he reads, mumbling, "Why, I might just be an old man, but I have never... I mean... truly, that is my cipher..."
Clear that his disguise has been seen trough, Fazgyn ditches the scarf.
At the word 'vermin'he puffs up his crest to appear taller.
"Listen here old human. You might not remember... pre remember... what ever. You magic users did something with time, and only us Dragons can fix this so dont you Vermin me. You came to us for help."