Hajar nods at Yazi again in thanks.
I would appreciate if you could watch over Kardswaan.
hmmmmm
helps to have guards around
nope
heavy sleeper
Hit points recovered: 46 non-lethal, 2 lethal.
Kardswann awakens in the middle of the night. Groaning loudly, he stiffly comes to a seated position on the floor on the blanket. The large janni looks around at the adventurers surrounding him, as well as the murals of the Templars of the Five Winds on the walls.
"Do not fear," he tells everyone. "The foul demon's influence over me is gone. So many weeks and months did Xulthos enslave me, all because of my foolish pride, thinking I could explore the church crypt without consequence. I was little better than a beast, forcing everyone to fight for my own amusement, throwing this region into chaos."
Kardswann looked at Hajar, at Templar at his side. "I see my brother Vardishal in your eyes, human. As sure as that blade in your hand." he tells the paladin. "No, do not deny it. I am grateful to know the North Wind did not perish entirely. He lives on in you, as well as his expertise in battle."
Hajar nods to Kardswann It is good to see you free of that Daemon's influence. Yes, the Holy St. Vardishal lives on, in some form inside me. Beware Templar, some have not forgiven your crimes while you were under the influence of Xulthos.
Hajar moves closer to Kardswaan It is good to see you again Brother. What are your plans now?
To Yazi Hajar says I am both Hajar, and the Templar Vardishal. I hear his thoughts.
"Interesting. I would like to know more about your benign possession, my friend. But perhaps another time. For now, we must decide our next course of action, before princess Almah changes her mind once more."
"I must notify my, our, mistress, the djinni princess Nefeshti, of events here. The cult of Rovagug is back in the Brazen Peaks. Vardishal is no more - but his spirit lives on in another. Events are changing the world again. I must find out what has happened to the other Templars."
Vardishal whispers in your mind Kardswann is Nefeshti's scout. He traveled the planes more than any of us, and is a relentless and persistent foe once he has a goal. You can trust him now that he is freed of that daemon's influence. Kardswann will not be so foolish again.
Kardswann stands, and puts a hand out to Yazi. "My greataxe, young one." he states. His 7-foot appearance is more regal than before, despite his bruises, even with his breastplate off. "I must travel the planes until Nefeshti notices me and grants me her favor again. You have no need of its' special powers here, on Golarion."
"Thank you. I could not demand it in a duel, not with my wounds." Kardswann said, taking the greataxe. "Now where is my armor? It has no sentimental value, but I would like to be prepared in case I run into elementals on the Plane of Earth."
"Great Kardswann, I wish you luck on your journeys. If you get the chance while you are traveling the planes... if you travel to Nirvana, would you visit Lady Irez in her palace along the Sea of No Shadows? Perhaps she would see fit to grant a boon to me for freeing you if you told her of our deeds, or perhaps she would simply like some company. I would send an offering, if you are willing to do so."
He fishes the deck of harrow cards that he found several days earlier, with the cards each intricately carved in bas-relief on thin wooden sheets instead of on paper.
"If you would be willing, perhaps this deck of finely-carved cards would please her."
Bartan then bows deeply, holding the wooden deck out in both hands in front of him, almost shaking with eagerness to please his goddess, and fearful that Kardswann will reject his request.
EDIT:
Whether Kardswann accepts the task Bartan is asking him of or not, Bartan then offers to perform a harrowing for him before he leaves. "Perhaps it will help you determine where to travel and whom to seek out to most quickly garner lady Nefeshti's attentions?"
Kardswann takes the playing cards, albeit slightly puzzled. "My lady Nefeshti hides among the Planes, her wishcraft making her sensitive to the coming and going of genies. Thus no divination would help me." he explains. "So I doubt I will get to Nirvana. But if I do before you, I will do as you ask."
With that, the janni hefts his greataxe to his shoulder, and holds one hand in front of him perpendicular to the floor, close to his chest. "Fare-thee-well, successors of Kelmarane." Kardswann says, his voice fading as multicolored sparks outline his form. "Beware the Rough Beast's followers. Perhaps we will meet again..."
Dust motes swirl where the large man once stood, and the hallway is quiet again.
Hajar smiles at the cavalier Indeed.
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Bartan squeaks out a "huh?" before understanding what she's after, at which point he gets a dumbly-happy look on his face and lets Yazi carry him away.
So besides being forced to fight in contests, what other trouble have you been in since you disapeared? Khayal asks of Haleen. If I have to take care of someone, you know I will.
"The only thing on my mind is that Katapesh gang." Haleen responds, sitting on the stones. "For several months, maybe even a couple of years, my 'bad luck' has been running the show. Every guard mission failed. Every dice I threw came up empty, or something always interrupted me from collecting my winnings. I started owning money to the wrong people. I tried hiring myself out to them, working the debt off - and then the woman I was bodyguarding got assassinated right in front of me. Nobody was happy after that, and I had to leave Katapesh in a hurry."
Haleen leaned back. "But with Kardswann's prize money, I go back, I pay off the gang boss, maybe knock a few heads to convince them to leave me alone with the books clear, and I move on. Maybe get work as a sailor going to Absalom. But Katapesh is not the place for me. Neither is here. I'd like to find a place that doesn't have duststorms every week."
She looked back at Khayal. "I can't stay here, Khayal." she told him. "That gang in Katapesh isn't a large one, they live by the good graces of a real gang in the city, but they got their reputation by not allowing mistakes. Like a bunch of bookkeepers, always keeping 'the balance' in their favor. So I'm going to be a constant reminder of their failure on the books. That's why I need the money."
It is either sandstorms here or thunderstorms there. You have family here. Repaying the debt is probably a good idea. But leaving will just leave you alone. Wouldn't you rather help rule the very city that once held you a slave?
"Eh. Not if I have to be looking over my shoulder every day for an assassin coming in with the latest caravan from Katapesh or Solku." Haleen replied. "Don't worry, Khayal." She told him. "One quick trip to Katapesh, and then I'm free again."
I see nothing!
Well we know why Bartan failed his Perception check. ;-P. You might want a Constitution check there, too, Bartan. Save vs. exhausted. No, no, I'm kidding.
[ooc]
typical
missed them
In the cold of the desert predawn, while the guards' attention is still on Kelmarane, both of you notice Dashki and his two gnolls leaving the Monastery. Slowly at first, but after they get some distance from the building they pick up speed, trying to disappear before the sunrise. The group heads southwest, not north or north-east like the other people going to Kelmarane or the Carrion King's unknown location in the mountain range.
The sun begins to rise in the east, the rays quickly turning the black of night into the blue-brown of a desert dawn. Nearly every awake person in the Monastery is on the north-facing walls or peering through the wall on the north side.
Kelmarane itself is quiet. Too quiet. A few wisps of lingering smoke are visible, but no flickers of movement from building to building. The battle market is silent. The rest of the area towards the river or the pesh field is also quiet and empty.
|
Feeling refreshed and mirthful Yazi can't help but simply smile and wave as the group flees the monastery.
Later as more people awaken she'll go to Hajar and Princess Almah, assuming they're in the same room going over plans or breakfast. "Something's wrong with the city, it's quieter than the grave. There should still be some scavengers or something lurking about."
Almah looks at her majordomo, who responds, "Then we should go see. This might be what we have been waiting for."
The Princess and her guards assemble everyone in the open nave of the Monastery. It is not so much an ordered formation as simply everyone is awake and awaiting Almah's arrival from the Library to the northern entrance that faces their ultimate goal, the battle-market of Kelmarane. Whispers in the morning air fly as more and more people join the crowd, rumors about what is happening finally after so many days of waiting.
Garavel himself heads to a small hill just outside the Monastery to the north, looking to Kelmarane, peering at the adobe buildings. After several minutes, he returns in the broadening sunlight of the dawn, telling Princess Almah "It is time, my lady."
Almah turns to the collected group of people around her, from the camel driver and his wife to the newest merchants and fighter Haleen that has joined her retinue. "Today is the day." the woman loudly announced to her people. "We leave within the hour. But take care to not destroy anything as you prepare. This monastery to St. Vardishal is still holy, and I am appointing Hajar nar Jundi its' guardian until such time that the Church of Sarenrae can appoint clergy to come and restore the building."
To the four adventurers she says "I leave the prisoner and the others we discussed in your hands. Do with them as you wish. But I require you four to lead our group into the battle market, in case there are any surprises."
Around them is a flurry of activity in the nave of the monastery, as most of the people packed during the night, anticipating the Princess' decision. There is only to put their bundles on the disagreeable camels, wagons hidden behind the Monastery, or their own backs before each person is ready.
Hajar leads from the front, but sees very little.
Well rested from the night before Khayal keeps a sharp lookout as they approach.
Bartan steals glances at Yazi, distracting him from the mission at hand.
I'm not changing Dhavyn's character sheet for obvious reasons. #1, I can't, and #2, he might come back. Who can tell.
On the other hand, Gorundal among the three merchants is more than happy to make some coin. His overstuffed backpack with multiple sacks hanging off of it contain nearly every piece available in the basic equipment list. He will willingly sell or barter a set of masterwork thieves' tools to you.
(Perception DC 25 - Most of the items are slightly damaged or of shoddy construction. Oooh, sorry, the masterwork thieves' tools are still masterwork, but heavily dented. They can never be made better than masterwork, and any Disable Device that has a "1" in the future results in a broken condition.)
The twitchy human female smuggler named Kalyx has numerous thin vials filled with multi-colored liquids, crumbs of tarry resin, or bits of colorful plants. All of these are addictive narcotics, ranging from pesh to flayleaf to shiver. She has no scrolls or wands.
The rail-thin male human smuggler named Juluce can sell any “special substances and items” listed in the basic equipment list, from acid to tindertwigs. But no magical items.
The four adventurers leave the Monastery first, Garavel and the guards getting the caravan back into formation. Almah's caravan to re-establish Kelmarane is mere minutes behind you as you venture back to the battle market. Haleen stays with her three merchants, her charge to lead them to safety still unfinished.
The village is empty, the buildings standing mute. The rising sun reveals that Kelmarane has been abandoned during the night by the gnoll tribe, not even leaving a single hyena behind.
You spot a familiar face along with wings: Undrella the harpy, cheerfully drifting from rooftop to rooftop. She appears to be checking out Kelmarane, much like you are, to see if anyone is still here.
Bartan fails the perception check and doesn't realize the MW tools are shoddily crafted, and buys them for full price (100gp).
He will follow the lead of Yazi and the others, as he's not sure exactly what needs done to make the city totally safe at the moment.
It looks like our friend stayed arround. Khayal says as he points out the harpy.
The winged woman-creature changes flight, coming closer until she rested on an outcropping of a ruined building near your group. "So what brings you %*&#s to Undrella City?" the harpy asked.
With his eyebrow raised Hajar says Kelmerane is now the possession of the Princess Almah and the Pactmasters of Katapesh.
"Miss Undrella, you've seen us defeat Kardswann and everyone else that we've come up against. Do you really want to make enemies of us? Why don't you, instead, join our cause? You could have one of the tallest buildings of the city as your own, and you wouldn't be disturbed. All we'd ask in return is for you to use those keen eyes of yours to warn us of approaching enemies."
"WHAT?" The harpy screeched at Hajar. "You ($&*ers were only supposed to get rid of that $#(% Kardswann! I knew the other ($&*ers would leave without him leading them. Last night I caught one of the $#(%$ trying to light the battle market on fire; he stopped after I caved in his ($&*ing skull. The rest left in the middle of the night, they even took the ($&*ing dogs with 'em." Looking at the spiked morningstar the beast-woman carries, you see some fresh blood on it.
Undrella hopped from one side of the street to the next, staying on the rooftop ledges. She took in the retinue behind them, coming up from the desert path. "Aw, $#(%!" she exclaimed. "I gots valuable $#(% on the second floor of that market building, I'll have you know!" She grumbled while Bartan and Yazi spoke to her.
"I get rid of one )#^$%@& bunch of egg-suckers and get another $#(%-load coming in." Undrella complained. "$#(%! Fine! Start over from $#(% it is! There ain't no ($&*ing traps - just come on in, &@#% it." She stared hard at Hajar from her perch. "You guys are ($&*ing lucky one of you is pretty." Undrella complained, and took off, her wings flapping hard as she made for the battle market's dome, a few curses lingering in the air.
Undrella is not really as upset as she seems. She's not hostile, she's almost friendly at having a new group of people move in compared to the gnolls.
"My, what a mouth that one has on her? She'll be a valuable ally... if she can be trusted of course. In either case, we should go see what valuable '$#(%' he has stored away. I wonder which of us is the 'pretty' one? It must be Miss Yazi, no?" He winks at Yazi, absently flipping a gold coin that he's come to think of as his "lucky" coin.
Hajar shakes his head in wonderment. I believe it must be Yazi.
I am not sure what to make of her, but I do not think we ought to trust her. There is something wrong about that one.
You proceed into Kelmerane, seeing no one other than Undrella in the village. Garavel and Almah come up behind you, the camels' snorting loudly in the air. "Proceed to the battle market." Almah requests.
At the battle market's southern entrance you find traces of a body dragged away to another one of the buildings.
Garavel and the caravan guards join you in the battle market center, meeting up with a defensive harpy on the second level. Undrella says the "infusium" is hers, as well as the Tannery building outside. She demands that she be allowed to continue her alchemical work in the village tannery.
The infusium is a bulky but potent magical device, a sturdy creation that has weathered the decades since Kelmarane’s original abandonment quite well. The device functions as a masterwork alchemical laboratory, granting a +2 competence bonus
on Craft (alchemy) checks made to utilize it. Up to seven potions may be poured into the device’s seven reservoirs for storage. As a full-round action, a character may inject one of the stored potions directly into his bloodstream, doubling the potion’s duration. Up to seven characters may use the infusium at the same time (although each requires a separate potion dosage). The infusium itself is extremely valuable, worth 8,000 gp to the right alchemist. The device weighs 900 pounds, however, making it difficult to move.
The merchants Haleen brings as well as Haleen herself fills in Garavel and Almah, pointing out the battle arena, trading stalls, gladiator rooms, arena benches, and Kardswann's room above. The caravan starts putting the camels and their loads to one side, with the wagons taking up nearby spaces, and the group generally unpacking their things into the area. A few guards run along the trails, making sure there were no ambushes or enemy stragglers. After several hours of making sure there were no gnolls left behind, Princess Almah called everyone to the battle arena.
"Everyone," the woman addressed the crowd, "we all have worked long and hard for this day. None more so than Hajar nar Jundi, Cavalier Yazi, Khayal Bin Haleen, Bartan Harrowborn, Anjali Nejem, Avenka Thalma, and Dhavyn Barr." Princess Almah raises her arms, and shouts, "I stand before you in this battle market, and I declare Kelmarane retaken in the name of Almah Roveshki, of the Roveshkis of Katapesh, on behalf of the Pactmasters of Katapesh!" Everyone in the area lifts an arm or a weapon into the air, cheering the Princess' declaration. When the cheering had quieted down, Almah added "I hereby pronounce those that liberated Kelmarane and defeated the gnolls, daemons, and the leader to now be Knight Protectors, and heroes in this battle market!" More cheering from the caravan people ensues.
"Now the real work begins." Almah tells everyone. "We have merchants to invite," with a nod to Gorundal, Kalyx, and Juluce, standing with Haleen, "citizens to welcome, re-building to start, and word to spread! Bring your trade to Kelmarane, instead of going all the way to Solku or Katapesh!" More cheers from the merchants and their spouses.
"Now, let us begin the restoration!" Princess Almah finished.
================================END BOOK ONE========================
After Almah’s party moves into Kelmarane, Father Zastoran becomes obsessed with the infusium, setting up shop in the storefront and selling his potions to the new citizens of the village. Undrella becomes Zastoran's apprentice, the gnome's enthusiasm and biting wit a match for the harpy's foul mouth. Almah claims the opulent chambers on the third floor of the battle market as her personal domain.
Undrella takes a disturbing liking to the PCs and demands that she be allowed to continue her alchemical work in the village tannery. The merchant princess Almah is willing to trust the PCs’ judgment in these matters, granting them the Wharfmaster’s Manor in part so they can keep an eye on Undrella’s workshop. But everyone who watches the harpy's comings and goings knows that she not only flies daily to the infusium in the battle market, but during moonless nights she visits a spot in the nearby mountains as well.
This handsome, three story mansion has a splendid view of Kelmarane’s dock and the tannery and mill across the river. Anyone hiding out here and spying on the latter locations can easily track
the movements of the harpy day-by-day. After the village has been cleared of gnolls, Almah grants the Warfmaster Manor to the PCs as part of their reward.
The PCs now have: the Monastery of St. Vardishal, the Wharfmaster's Manor, and 200 gp each as a reward from Princess Almah.
Over the following weeks and months, scores of merchants and settlers arrive and the work of rebuilding the village begins in earnest. Some of these merchants bring magical gear with them that the PCs may be interested in buying with the loot gained in their recent exploits. By the end of a year, Kelmarane is a thriving village with a population of nearly 500 souls (and a 200 gp limit for purchasing goods). Each PC may, at their own discretion, sell everything they have and re-purchase to attain their Wealth By Level (Level 4 - 6,000 gp) as they see fit. Everything in the Core Handbook and Ultimate Equipment Guide is available over the course of the year, as new caravans arrive from Katapesh. Typically the book recommends 25% of their wealth on weapons, 25% on armor and protective devices, 25% on other magic items, 15% on disposable items like potions, scrolls, and wands, and 10% on ordinary gear and coins. The 200 gp cap on Kelmarane is for daily purchases; Katapesh has virtually no limit, but you have to place an order with a caravan master and await its' return. Thus, at the end of the year, you have your expensive equipment.
Yes, a year passes at the end of the first book in the Adventure Path. Each player needs to choose how they are going to spend their yearly downtime. You have no "job" now that Kelmarane has been liberated, so this may help you earn some coin if you do not have a Craft or Profession skill. There are a number of options available, to be detailed after you choose them. Each PC may choose up to three of the following.
Administration (hint: working with Garavel)
Business
Church of Sarenrae
Crime
Explore Personal Mystery
Moldspeaker (special)
Patrol Kelmarane Hinterlands
Personal Romance (complicated, based upon your choice)
Rebuild Kelmarane
Research
Travel (with Haleen back to Katapesh to pay off her bounty/debt)
When you choose, I may have you roll Diplomacy, Knowledge (specific), or Bluff, depending upon your answer(s).
Congratulations!