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A member of my family is in danger. I must do something.Perharps killing the spell caster will stop this. Sorry Scotty, this is my limit.
A bunch of arrow flies toward the judge. Two have a blunt end
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Ralph lets the flames that had been gathering in his hand flicker away when he sees the Gray Gardeners backing down. With an indifferent shrug, he dismisses his invisibility and turns to Alric and Blondie.
"I trust there will be no complaints about us following you through the portal? We were getting rather... concerned... when you delayed in returning to us with the promised items." He waves a hand at the guillotine. "All things considered, I think things worked out favorably, most of all for you."
"You may consider this rescue a favor from the Society, though there is still the matter of the sword and the evidence against Adril Hestram. By the way, I do have a feather fall spell prepared, so when you feel like jumping down to the courtyard below, just let me know. I did not rescue you from the Final Blade only to have you break your legs from a simple fall."
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Alric stands up and nods towards Ralph. "Can't say I super excited to see you, can't say I'm too upset to see you either. I'll take that feather fall if you don't mind. I've done high jumps hundreds of times, but given how this day has gone I wound stick the landing and break a leg."
Once everyone's on the ground, the woman interjects "Hello. I'm Geppa. I'm auxillary magical support for Alric when he needs it."
"And an amazing companion and partner all the other times," Alric adds. "Don;'t know where I'd be without her. These are the Pathfinders who were there when we attacked out o the maze. Apparently the Pathfinders didn't send people who were particularly loyal to Adril to his Talespinning."
Geppa just raised an eyebrow and said "Huh" as Alric put his face to the door and whispered into it, causing the doors to open out.
An ornate purple carpet bisects this huge audience chamber, running from the huge double doors that lead to the courtyard to the east all the way up a short flight of steps to a beautifully carved wooden throne that looks out over the chamber. To the left of the carpet is an enormous dining table with two long benches. Unfinished meals and drinks rest upon the table, as if more than a dozen men abandoned a meal in progress not long ago. A smaller table on the other side of the carpet is piled high with stacks of paper, maps, and envelopes, arrayed in a pattern that suggests a formal investigation. Doors on the east and west walls appear to lead to other chambers.
"Geppa, can you go get the Pale Maiden for them while I gather up the letters?" Alric asks, heading straight for the table In the center of the room. Geppa runs off in the southern hallway as Alric grabs some papers from the table. "Here, this is the evidence that I have that didn't come from speak with dead."
Intercepted Letter - Suspicions
Intercepted Letter - Woodsedge Lodge
Map of the Maze
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"Thank you, Alric of Halvon. We have no further quarrel with you if you have no further quarrel with us. But I should mention that we had to subdue some of your allies en route. No one was killed, though Cael might be a little worse for wear. And Zaliex has been freed from the influence of the ring, although it will take more time and research to completely free him from the cave."
Ralph reads the letters, then sighs. Several thoughts race through his head, though he keeps some of them to himself in the interests of keeping the tenuous peace.
"It appears that Osprey was sparing with information even to Eliza - she had to work out what the Maze was herself. What irritates me is that these letters tell us nothing that the two of them could not have told us from the start. It would have been easier to work out what was really going on if we had been told the true nature of the Maze from the beginning, though I wonder if Eliza meant to give us a clue when she told us the name of the Maze of the Open Road. I suspect Osprey even knows how to navigate the Maze to reach each member of the Decemvirate. But at least this map will allow us to use the maze to find the remaining targets even without Osprey. This allows us to act independently of Osprey if we have to."
"More importantly, we now know the true nature of our enemy - the Shadow Lodge! This would corroborate my earlier hypothesis that this is all part of a bid to replace the Decemvirate itself. This map also supports my hypothesis that the list we found earlier was a hit list, and more importantly we now know how to get to the Shadow Lodge's next targets. Volyanni mentioned that Kyalla was already attacked. Prince Odrian is not on Golarion... but I wonder if the maze still connects to his location. Montrose was the first name on this list and Kyalla was the next. It looks like the Shadow Lodge is working its way down the list, which means that their next target after Kyalla is likely to be Odrian, if they haven't already gotten to him. On the other hand, we do not know for certain if it is yet too late to save Kyalla..."
"I think it is time to return to Osprey and Eliza and put what we know before them. Given what is at stake, hopefully that idiot Osprey will stop playing games and start being more forthcoming with information. If not, then we might need to start acting on our own. A speak with dead spell cast on Hestram's corpse should allow me to discover just how far down the list the Shadow Lodge has gotten and which if any of their targets we are still in time to save. In any case, I think it is time to return to the Woodsedge Lodge."
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"Yannow, Alric, at the very least you got a good flair for style and a noble heart. And since you are within a position of power, in one persona or another, there's potential allies you should look into. I know us Pathfinders ain't your favorite, but I hope we proved that Adril is doing his own thing murderhoboing people, and that's not a normal Pathfinder thing."
Koraq steps in a bit closer. "Also got another patron, Lady Gloriana Morilla, who is always on the look out for nobles and those in positions of power to use that influence for good. We sent a supporting army to aid Mendev in the last crusade. Why don'tcha consider the idea of an alliance or two?"
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Before the Grey Guards take their leave, Scotty has them bring the locals to him so he can ensure that none of them have been injured. *Insert Scotty speech praising the ideals of the revolution and warning against those who would twist those values for their gain.* He also asks the Grey Guards to bring the judge before the Revolutionary Council and explain his actions to them.
Once his business with the former mob is sorted, Scotty follows the others inside leaving Merena to stand guard near the door. He makes introductions of he missed them and quietly reads the letters while Ralph speaks his peace.
Scotty will aid Koraq's diplomacy (he can't fail the aid).
Finally, he inquires about the safety/well being people missing from the abandoned meals.
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Alric turns towards Ralph "Well, nothing I won't get over given enough time." Then he turns towards Koraq. "This Sovereign Court... ut uh... doesn't sound like it would go over too well in Galt just from the name, but I'll keep it in mind."
Geppa comes back out with the Pale Maiden, and dragging a young man who is wearing robes that match the servants from Woodsedge Lodge. "This was the guy I caught snooping around while we were planning our attack. Figure since we're not attacking the Society anymore that you guys should probably take him back with you. No reason for us to hold him anymore."
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Scotty reaches out his hand for Pale Maiden before stopping to look to his companions, "If none of you object." He indicates an intent to carry the Pale Maiden back to the lodge.
Scotty turns to address the new arrival. "Who do we have here? Name yourself, you have no enemies here. How did you come to be in this place? What was your mission when you were captured?"
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Scotty hangs Pale Maiden from his belt next to his scimitar. "Thank you Lady Geppa," Scotty gives her a polite nod, "Alondias, please come with me. I would like do debrief you. Are you well enough to walk? If not, you may ask Merena to carry you." Scotty indicates the great black mare standing outside.
Scotty turns to the Raven. "If you or any of your men are injured I can see to that. Otherwise I feel it is time for us to take our leave." Scotty extends his hand to the Raven. "I hope there is no longer ill will between us. One rogue Pathfinder does not make the Society. Most of us are decent, though occasionally unorthodox, people. Should you ever have issue with the Society again, or have need of a skilled diplomat, you may call on me."
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Alric nods to the Pathfinders. "Perhaps we'll be dealing again at some point. You certainly intrigue me, if a bit frustrating at times."
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You make your way back through the Maze with no problems. When you exit the maze, you hear Eliza yelling a string of profanity previously only heard from dwarven pirates coming from the house. you see that Eliza is standing in Adril's room, cursing at an open window. Adril's body is not visible.
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Ralph sighs deeply as he waves any servants in the room away before closing the door and addressing Eliza in a hushed tone.
"I feel like I should ask where Hestram's body is, yet I fear I already know the answer. It appears that much like the Pathfinder Society, the Shadow Lodge also allows for members with sufficient prestige and fame to leverage retrieval missions for their bodies after demise."
"But you and Osprey already knew from the start that Adril Hestram was working for the Shadow Lodge, didn't you, Eliza Petulangro? I wonder, did you also already know that the Shadow Lodge has identified and marked 5 of the Decemvirate members for murder, and that Adril Hestram was to be their assassin? Did you know Teppin Montrose was one of the Decemvirate, and that Adril Hestram had already murdered him? Did you know that Adril Hestram had also already attacked Kyalla, another member of the Ten, or that his next target after Kyalla is most likely Prince Odrian, who is supposedly not on Golarion?"
"Hmm...not on Golarion, as opposed to not being on the Prime Material Plane. Another planet perhaps? I sent a team of Pathfinders on a mission to Triaxia not long ago, but was unable to accompany them. I would love to see that planet for myself."
He eyes Eliza carefully to see the effect of each his words on the venture captain (and Osprey if he is also in the room).
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Eliza scowls. “Ha. Ha. But yes, that is precisely what has happened. Some woman dressed in blue and white robes came in and picked him up and then flew out.”
She adds “Osprey and the Ten suspected Adril’s disloyalty, although I was skeptical. It sounded like they had solid evidence…”
“And the fact that they were not shared with you should tell you something,” interrupted Osprey. “The Ten does not find it wise to share their secrets with you, for reasons that I find most agreeable…”
“But will have to be reconsidered after this mission, surely,” Eliza angrily interrupted. “Especially since, knowing you, you probably have good evidence to assume that those names are in the Decemvirate. It sounds like we have more work to do!”
Osprey storms off in a huff, shaking his head in disgust.
------
Over the next day or two, with your guys’ help, Eliza researches as much as she can about the names you’ve provided, the Maze of the Open Road, and sees if she can track down Adril’s current position. While she uses your help, she doesn’t take up all your time, so you still have the opportunity to perform downtime activities, buy equipment, spend prestige, and the like.
For this adventure, you have earned:
2 XP, 2 Prestige, and 23,237 gold.
In addition…
The PCs show compassion for injured/killed Woodsedge Lodge servants (including healing them) (group award). – This is completed.
The PCs successfully recover and return the Pale Maiden or prevent its abduction in the first place (group award). – This is completed.
The PCs broker a truce between the Pathfinder Society and the Red Raven (group award). – You guys made nice with him at the end, so this is completed.
The PCs free the phoenix Zaliex by giving it the phoenix ring (group award). – This is completed. (It’s a shame you can’t do more in scenario, but I don’t think they wanted you taking a phoenix into the next encounter. Boo!)
A PC impresses Eliza in the Talespinning Ceremony (individual award). – Each of you did this.
A PC impresses Osprey in the Talespinning Ceremony (individual award). – Each of you did this.
(Scotty did this when I had him roll the Diplo check and interact with them as he rode in.)
So each of you get 6 Campaign points – the max! Good job!
Faction Missions
I’ll have some thoughts up tomorrow – will be looking to start the next one on the 5th or 6th – I don’t want to start a scenario on the fourth of July!
(Here’s the preliminary thought – this is one of the biggest ass-kickings of this scenario I’ve ever seen. Running it via PbP has definitely been a new experience, and been very much an eye-opener for the medium.
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After Osprey storms off, Ralph explains his deductions to Eliza in detail.
"What annoys me about this whole affair is that if Osprey had been more forthcoming with information, we would have been able to take better precautions and preparations, both in our preparations for the Talespinning and in safeguarding or permanently disposing of Hestram's corpse. Since he refused to share with us that Adril Hestram was working with an entire faction skilled in subterfuge and with significant resources, and since Hestram's body disappeared under his watch, I feel justified in deeming him at least partly responsible for any further mischief caused by Hestram. And I have little doubt that we have not seen the last of him or his machinations..."
CHAIRPERSON (7+ goals): The discount and bonus on Day Job checks that the Entrepreneur boon provides increase to 10% and +10 respectively. A DC 50 Day Job check now earns you 300 gp. When another PC attempts a Day Job check, she gains a +3 circumstance bonus on the check and can earn 200 gp on a result of 45 or higher.
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Bead of force (Limit 2; 3,000 gp each)
Bracers of armor +2 (4,000 gp)
Bracers of armor +4 (16,000 gp)
+3 breastplate (9,350 gp)
Chime of opening (3,000 gp)
Cloak of resistance +1 (1,000 gp)
+1 flaming burst arrows (Limit 8; 366 gp each)
+2 full plate armor (5,650 gp)
+2 half plate (4,750 gp)
+2 heavy steel shield (4,170 gp)
+2 keen longsword (18,315 gp)
+2 leather armor (4,160 gp)
+2 light wooden shield (4,153 gp)
+1 shocking burst longbow (18,375 gp)
Ring of protection +1 (2,000 gp)
Ring of protection +2 (8,000 gp)
Rod of wonder (12,000 gp)
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Eliza Petulengro welcomes you to Woodsedge Lodge’s meeting room, still undergoing repairs after the Red Raven’s assault. She motions for you to have a seat. The red-haired woman mutters an arcane incantation under her breath and gestures deliberately at the doors and windows, then sighs heavily, nods to herself, and looks up at you.
“I want to take a moment to thank you all for all your help so far. Géatan, you have struck true both with your arrows and your compassion. Scotty, in areas of unknown morals and loyalties, your conviction and dedication stood out like a lighthouse in the fog. Koraq, you’ve cleared the way for your teammates to succeed, being a wonderful rock for them to stand on. Ralph, your sharp eyes have spotted the details that the rest of us missed, and you knew just how to exploit those details. Together, you are Captain Planet have done wonderful work so far under great uncertainty, and despite what other people may say or think, I believe in your loyalty and I believe that you have everyone’s best interests at heart.
“As you know, the very fabric of the Pathfinder Society is under attack. Though your efforts were instrumental in protecting this lodge and a member of the Decemvirate, our task is far from done. You are already intimately involved in this affair, so it falls to you to see it through. Secrecy is of the upmost importance in this regard, so rather than involve more people in this embarrassing debacle, we trust you to take care of everything. These are among the most momentous events in our organization’s long history, and our very survival depends on your success.
“What I ask of you now is even more dangerous than your previous involvement, but I trust that you will not let the Society down. I need you to return to the Maze of the Open Road and discover what you can about Adril’s use of the portals within to further his devious plans. Find Condria, the Maze’s medusa guardian, and gather from her any information you can on Hestram’s recent comings and goings in the Maze. While we have a general idea of who his targets are, we don’t yet know how or when he plans to assassinate them.
“Should you discover any hints as to the identity or location of his next target, do not delay in travelling there and ensuring his or her safety. In particular, we are looking for any hints about Kyalla. Given the information you found when talking with Volyanni, we feel that she may be the first one in danger. But of course, if other leads seem more urgent, follow those first. May the gods be with you; if they don’t favor your efforts, the Pathfinder Society is doomed.”
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"Yes, that medusa. We already encountered her on our last foray into the maze. Unfortunately, we killed her, in self-defence of course, but the maze kept her soul from permanently departing. I should be able to revive her, unless the magic of the maze has already done that. A form of immortality tied to an eternity of servitude...not difficult to see why she would be a grumpy little bitc... bitter snake-woman. At least we also left her body tightly bound, so even if the maze has revived her, we should have no trouble finding her. What will be more difficult is getting her to cooperate. After killing her the last time, I can't imagine she will be thrilled to see us."
"If all else fails, I can dominate her, but perhaps we should exhaust other options first? Eliza, do the magics that bind her to the maze also compel her to aid Pathfinders or the Decemvirate in any way?"
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"I trust that nothing is being withheld from us this time. I can appreciate the need for secrecy considering what is at stake, however we will be combating this threat on the front lines and in direct danger. We need to know everything you can tell us about where we're heading and what we're up against. At this point, keeping something from us serves no purpose except to endanger our mission."
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The buffering cap (p.240 UE) is not that bad. Transmuting once by day a crit to doing non lethal is not bad at all.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"My reconnaissance has shown that she's back alive. It looks like that magic you discovered last time works rather quickly Ralph. My guess would be start by appealing to her sense of logic. We control the maze at this point. She can either work with us or try to kill us again. If she works with us, we've got a pretty damn good chance of freeing her with some research. If she doesn't, then we're just going to kill her over and over again. I mean, if she really wants the second, then so be it. You'll have to charm or dominate her."
"Trust me Scotty, I am not trying to keep anything from you. It has been understandably hard to research anything on the Decemvirate members. It's almost like they don't want to be found or something like that. I'm really hoping that we can get this Condria lead to pan out - it's the only concrete lead we have."
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"I hope you appreciate that my skepticism is not personal. The situation is what it is; infighting will only weaken us. I only wish to emphasize the severity of what we face and ensure we are on the same page.
"Have we heard from Volyanni since our last encounter with her? Is she still in the maze somewhere?
"Speaking of infighting, where has our beloved *Ulfen profanity* Osprey disappeared to? Should we expect him to be involved in our mission?
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Gaétan scratchs the back of his head.
"Well, I like compliment like any other. But , I hope we are ready that one of us become a statue.
At least Now, we can see what will be at the other side of the door." he says showing a window.
Armor to +2 5000
Cape of résistance +3 5000
One-way window 7500
Reroll pearl 3000
Restock of last inventory around.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"I have not encountered Volyanni - I imagine that she is lost in the maze somewhere.
"As for Osprey's whereabouts, I do not know precisely. I tried sending him a letter yesterday but I have not gotten a response. He was pissed when you guys got back from the maze, and he mentioned something about 'There must be another way.' That being said, he's also not dumb. This is where all the action will be happening, and he likes being at the center of the action. And he can be helpful if he wants to."
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As you travel the maze, you come across the wide ruinous area where you encountered the medusa before. Without seeing anything, you hear "Once more men of steel and death travel through. But you are different, yes? My death at your hands was less painful. Why?"
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Before entering the maze, Scotty requests a thick, cloth bag from Eliza or one of the servants to use as a blindfold for the medusa. He uses prestidigitation to make sure his armor is shining and to change the color of his cloak from brown to blue. He actively scans with Detect Evil while traversing the maze.
Hearing the medusa speak, Scotty turns toward the sound of her voice to address her .
"That was foolish. You would be wise not to attempt that again. I came to you with peaceful intentions, but I am VERY capable of resolving this with violence."
"You were given a quick death because I am not a man of steel and death; I am a man of fire and life. It is for me to protect others from pain, not to inflict it back on itself. You are Condria, correct? You are the guardian of this maze? I am Scotty McBride. I am The Sword Arm of the Dawnflower and a Seeker of the Pathfinder Society. The Pathfinder Society now controls the Maze. I wish to speak peacefully with you regarding the maze and your role as its guardian."
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60 feet away from Scotty, Condria makes herself visible, 60 feet away, with her arms folded. "Well, I'm all earsssssssss. Dissssssscusssssssssss away."
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Scotty nods his head politely to acknowledge Condria. "Thank you for agreeing to speak peacefully. The society wishes to ally with you to secure the maze. Your work would not go unrewarded, the society has a great many resources to offer. However, that is an arrangement we can negotiate at length at a later time.
"More urgently, there is a very dangerous traitor who has been using the maze to strike at the heart of the society. He is likely responsible for the men of steel and death that came before us and caused you suffering. We seek to bring him to justice for his crimes against the society as well as his crimes against you, should you be willing to aid us. We need any information you have regarding his activities in the maze. We also have an ally in the maze that we seek to find, a guardian Naga named Volyanni. Any information about her wearabouts would be greatly appreciated."
*Insert description of Ardil and Volyanni*