Amara looks at Marduk with pursed lips for a moment, then speaks.
Shadow Orchid is a female elf, Pathfinder Marduk. Not a human. She is also a tattooed Xun assassin and soldier of the Golden League — remorseless specialists in murder and intrigue. Their tattoos depict all manner of mythical monsters, and it is said that when a Xun dies, she immediately reincarnates as the creature painted on her body. If you do not respect her and her past, then you are foolish as well as "not frightened."
Erin:
They do have a description of it in the scenario (which makes no sense to me since no one has seen it for centuries). The Kn: planes check makes sense to me; however, you will get a description before leaving either way. ;-)
...I'll let you guys know that the scenario does, in fact, give a description of the tome...which doesn't make sense to me since no one has allegedly seen it in centuries. That's why I went with the Kn: planes check to identify abysium, then figured I'd insert the other details in. But either way, you guys weren't leaving without the answer to Erin's question.
Zey nods. The Abysium Codex is a heavy tome with pages made from sheets of hammered abysium, a blue-green skymetal known for its mystical properties. Be cautious; abysium has been known to sicken those who have prolonged exposure with the substance. You may want to try and limit direct contact with the book.
Local game was tonight and I'm gonna supernap the instant I shut this phone off. I list all knowledges in my hotbar and permit use of them freely unless they're going to cost me an Atonement. Just wanted to get that statement out, especially for this scenario.
"I don't even think I want to ask..." she thinks to herself while talking about horse endurance being compared to that of an elven woman.
As if to redirect the conversation, "Is there anything we can do to keep safe contact with the book for extended periods of time, should the need arise? Would magical storage suffice?"Kn(Pl):1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
"Also, does Shadow Orchid move around a lot, or is our timetable open?"
From what you know of abysium, the issue is direct contact. Within an extra-dimensional space, for example, would not be direct contact.
Amara responds to Amira's question. Proceed with haste. If the Aspis Consortium reaches the shrine first and is able to re-attune the tapestry before us, we will lose any hope of gaining control of its inner workings and find ourselves in a worse situation than we were in before we took control of the Consortium's portal.
You are provided guidance to find the Learned Crane, which you discover to be a three-story stone building located at the end of a long, twisting alleyway in the heart of Goka. Though there are several buildings all around you, the entry is rather secluded. A simple wooden sign over the door Amira translates to read "Rare Books" in Tien, written beneath a silhouette of a crane standing atop an open book.
That does it. I'm writing a ceramic shop scenario just for the Brute Squadron. MAP
As Ashur enters, he notes that the bookshop feels rather gloomy and somewhat claustrophobic, though it seems adequately illuminated. There are many tables holding piles of books and several bookshelves that stretch from floor to ceiling. The entire east wall is a single bookcase, completely filled with books. It is cramped and crowded inside.
You can see an aged but graceful elf with jet black hair worn up and piercing white eyes, wearing a simple black silk robe and sandals, seated behind a simple desk. Seated to the right of the entrance before a staircase leading up is a human Tien woman in leather paging through an old, battered book.
The old elf rises as Ashur enters. Hai lokoma, lu'n ka! T'eo nin kozunika?
Anyone who can speak Tien:
Welcome, travelers, to the Learned Crane. I am grateful to welcome you to my humble shop. How may this old woman serve you today?
Amira is handed two messages by a young Tien man in silk Abadarian robes only moments before attempting to enter the room. Amira speaks up after looking through a number of documents. "Slight change of plans. This Shadow Orchid has been proven guilty of the 4516 A.R. murder of dwarf merchant-explorer Chundrek Pallgreves. By the right of the Eyes of the City, I would like deputize you all in her arrest. As a known assailant, however, return of lethal force is authorized."
"Though I know damn well they would regardless of what I said."
"Additionally, Toshi here is my new personal assistant, though this should be of little consequence to you." She turns to the man and hand him her abacus, chronicler's supplies, and backup armour.
I decided to buy that porter and Automated Cartographer.
---
After entering the store...
Tien:
"Greetings. I am here to arrest one Shadow Orchid for the murder of Chundrek Pallgreves. Please comply with all requests to make this as smooth a process as possible, ma'am."
"In international crimes, the trial must be held in the nation of the offense. In this case, the location of the offense is, in fact, Goka. Goka is an Abadarian city. The Eyes and Ears of the City is an all-expansive group, designed to bring fair law to all cities; not just my city of origin."
"It is not preferred, but also not unheard of. As long as minimal unrelated persons are affected, there is little consequence under the Self-Defense terms."
The shop is cramped and crowded. Creatures of size Small or larger that share a square with any furniture or bookshelf are considered squeezing. The bookshelves in the middle of the room block line of sight and provide total cover to anyone standing behind them.
Female Human Rogue 10 (hp 82/82) | F +7 R +11 W +9 | AC 24 T 15 FF 24 CMD 27
I will attempt to restrain the other woman standing behind the desk.
Grapple 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
"Pathfinder Society! Keep your hands where we can see them! If I see any weapons or finger waggling I am authorized to use lethal force!"
Erin yells out, while forcing the other woman on to the desk and quickly looking her over for any weapons.
Ashur walks up to the old elven woman and attempts to grab her.
28 does not exceed her CMD (Impr. Uncanny Dodge).
Erin Alegra wrote:
I will attempt to restrain the other woman standing behind the desk.
29 does exceed her CMD. Next round you may make another grapple check to attempt to pin. She has a short curved blade hanging from her belt and wears a lamellar cuirass.
Erin:
You hear some noise that appears to come from upstairs, though you can't quite make out what it is.
Shadow Orchid closes her hand into a fist for an instant, shimmers, then moves opposite her companion (this provokes from both Ashur and Erin, if Erin has a light weapon in hand) and looks ready to strike.
