Open for dot.
You all received missives to travel to Sedeq in Qadira. Upon arrival, you've had a couple days to recuperate from your last mission and meet any new agents to the party. On the third day, the party recieves a summons to the local Venture-Captain's quarters. Once arrived, the party is shown in.
“Welcome to glorious Sedeq, Pathfinders. I trust your stay has been pleasant so far.” The speaker is a strikingly beautiful woman, slender and dark, dressed in the most modern Qadiran fashions. Her study is opulently appointed and seems to have mementos and trophies of past adventures covering every available surface. She favors you and your comrades with a slight half-smile and continues in her thick Qadiran accent: “I am Venture-Captain Yasmin Kal’al—I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced.”
Once everyone has introduced themselves, the Venture-Captain clears her throat and begins to speak again. “I am here as you are, by request of honored Venture-Captain Adril Hestram. I have been asked to brief you on the local situation as regards the Osirian artifacts. As you may or may notknow, the smuggler Matzal Chaim moved the four statues out of Sothis into Qadira. The statues are supposed to be quite valuable and had been confiscated by the Osirian authorities for study. We are not sure how Chaim got access to the statues in the first place—he likely had accomplices inside the Osirian Cultural Ministry." She pauses, thaking a drink of her tea.
"At any rate, Chaim brought the statues here. Sedeq is his permanent headquarters, though he spends most of his time traveling abroad. When he is in town, he spends the lion’s share of his time on the Qalli. While most of the city is given over to the human-chattel trade, the Qalli Spice Market is almost as lucrative as the rest of the city combined. Much of the money seen in Sedeq begins and ends in its stalls and processing plants. The saffron trade alone—” she brings herself up short.
“But never mind, this is not of relevance to you. Chaim spends a good deal of his time at the Topaz Pavilion bathhouse. We believe that he uses it as a point of contact with his various associates. Once you find Chaim, you will have to convince him to tell you who he sold the statues to—yes, they are no longer in his hands, we are sure of that."
She looks at the party from over her teacup. "Have I made the details of your mission clear enough?"
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You know me well enough that I don't shrink from a fight - but battle normally decides itself with a finality that sometimes may cause more woe than weal, and the wicked are known for hiding behind blameless men.
If we can avoid combat when negotiation serves then I will be satisfied but as always my blade is ready to reap evil doers from the fields of the just.
The party finishes up their meeting with the Venture-Captain and head out into the Qalli Spice Market. After just a few moments, they are pointed to the Topaz Pavilion Bathhouse.
As the party approaches the bathhouse, they see a man matching Chaim's description. The man's eyes settle on the party for a split second before they widen and he turns to sprint into the bathhouse, knocking over an attendant holding towels, in his haste to escape.
After chasing Chaim through what must have been half the rooms in the bathhouse, jumping pools and slipping across slick tile, the body of Chaim lies on the floor of a steamy room, a bloody gash where his adam’s apple used to be. An exasperated voice from further in the room exclaims, “Think," I said,"before you stab.” The steam separates, revealing two sweaty half-orcs in heavy armor, one looking abashed with a bloody kukri in his hand. A man sprawls luxuriantly in a small steaming pool in the center of the room. His visible skin is covered with horrible scars as if from badly healed burns. His eyes fall on the party oas the race into the room.
Behold Grandmaster Torch, a notorious information broker who has helped the Pathfinder Society in the past—but always for a steep price.
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Why is this big one so out of breath? It´s much harder for me since i´m slower, but not like that. maybe he´s a smoker? Ah and what a mess here! Probably i should better hang a dreamcatcher somewhere to ward off evil spirits and powers and earn him Lalacis favor.
You can see how the gnome searches her backpack for wuite a while before producing a colorful dreamcatcher and searching for a place to hang it. Finally shw waves at one of the half orcs.
You there with the kukri! Come here please. Could you hang this one right next to the door there? I might help cleaning your soul and placating the empyrial lords quite a lot for you.
She holds the dreamcatcher out to him and smiles.
Torch continues to dress down the half-orc until the party arrives and speaks to him. He casts an appraising eye at the party before speaking. “Please forgive the mess—my bodyguard was a bit … overzealous in guarding my privacy. I recognize Pathfinders when I see them, though, and I’m always happy to be of service to the Society.”
Morgrim examines Chaim and finds the man to be quite dead from the half-orc's handiwork.
The half-orc guard pauses, glancing at Torch after Koemi's request. When Torch nods, he walks over and hangs the dreamcatcher where instructed.
Torch gives the party a sly smile. What is it that you wanted with this man?
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Indeed we would have had something to talk about with this person. Talking with the dead is not in our powers though. Who knows what consequences his dead will have for all of us, you included. And i mean his dead is kind on your hands. It is not only the spiritual and karmic consequences what i am talking about, there could be some very immediate too.
Perhaps i can help you by bringing at least you colors to harmony. This bath should be much more soothing for you then.
Koemi steps up to the bath and prepares to cast prestitigation on the water, adding the missing colors of the rainbow to it so they harmonize with Torches red face.
Torch gives the party a sly smile. I know of these artifacts you speak of and I know that they are already sold. As a matter of fact, I know who bought them, but that information comes at a price. Everything has a price...even friendship. I would estimate the value of such information to be...um...three thousand gold pieces.
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Three thousand gold pieces for some words? Don´t you thinkyou are a bit too bold and eager there? You have to realize, we can´t turn to the Society for a financial backup without telling everyone why this person is meeting Pharasma now. I´m sure you would not like that. And surely no one of us looks like we possess something anywhere near that amount of gold. So make us a better offer!
Torch gives Koemi a coy look. Since you asked nicely, I'll knock the price down to two thousand gold pieces. He turns his attention to Arryn. You are an intuitive one, aren't you. Since you mention it, I'll make you a deal. I'll hand over the names in exchange for a to be determined future favor from the Pathfinder Society. How does that sound?
Torch rubs his hands together and smiles at Vahn. Ah, the voice of reason. There were four people who bought the statues; Nasir Tandir, Viraj Arpani, Buri Buri-Ban, and Saldin Marafi. He pauses as if remembering something. Keep the statues in a thick bag and don’t let
your arcane friends there hold them when they practice their art. Bad things will happen.
Viraj Arpani: “Viraj Arpani tends to hang around the Overmarket too—he’s new in town, but he’s unmistakeable. He’s Vudran and covered with little bells.”
Buri Buri-Ban: “Buri Buri-Ban’s a Garundi fellow—pretty beefy. His favorite café fronts on Sengali square.”
Saldin Marafi: “Saldin Marafi has a shop in the Secure Market. It’s toward the back in one of the more secure nooks. Good luck getting in there.”