I’m sure that daft elf has thoroughly confused you by now, so hopefully this note will help set things straight. Someone has been preying on your fellow Pathfinders and stealing important relics from the Society. We need you to discover who is behind these crimes. The Graycloaks have found scant information. They did recover the Shard of Iomedae's Lance, but the details about the recovery are scarce. My contacts have provided me the names of some of the witnesses to the muggings, which I have included below.
Rialla Barleyhusk: Witnessed the first mugging; works at the shop across from Cayden's Hall.
Friar Horace: Witnessed the second mugging; is the master brewer at Erastil's Alehouse.
Jarid Moltwin: Was caught selling the Shard of Iomedae's Lance; owns a private stall in the God's Market.
The Pathfinders' reputation with the Graycloaks is tenuous at best, so try to work with the Graycloaks and don't leave a trail of bodies behind you.
Tread Carefully,
Torch
Faction Missions
Andoran:
Servant of Justice,
There are few people I despise more than the Chelish bastards of House Arionne. Their crimes against human dignity and freedom-loving people are countless. There is little we can do to strike out at them while they lair safely in Cheliax, however, your current mission presents a unique opportunity.
Three weeks ago, a minor son of House Arionne made a special trip to Absalom. Our intelligence indicates he was there to sell a relic that was stolen from House Thrune years ago. Included with the relic is a letter of authentication detailing how the leaders of House Arionne stole the pen from the Chelish crown. Bring me that letter or find some other way to ensure it doesn’t end up in the hands of that devil queen in Egorian and we will strike a debilitating blow to House Arionne.
Be Ever Vigilant,
Major Colson Maldris
Cheliax:
My Favored Servant,
One of the relics recently sold within the borders of Absalom is an item that relates very closely to our great nation—the so-called Thrune Pen. We are not certain whether the pen in question is authentic or not, as the original was stolen in the chaos that followed the ascension of House Thrune. The throne in Egorian wants this pen back and while we are certain the Pathfinder Society would eventually deliver it, it will likely be for a price, and even then only after it languishes for years or decades in the hands of some archivist. Get me that pen and your reward will be something you treasure for years.
Do Not Disappoint Me,
Paracountess Zarta Dralneen
Grand Lodge:
Greetings Pathfinder,
The reputation of the Pathfinder Society here in Absalom has taken a beating because of rash actions by overzealous Pathfinders. Our reputation among the city’s guards has become one of a group that kills first and asks questions later, and the city guard is talking about taking a hard stance against us—perhaps even jailing reckless Pathfinders. Work with the Graycloaks and try to rein in your fellow Pathfinders’ overzealous ways. If you leave a string of bodies behind with no explanation, things are going to get very hot for Pathfinders here in Absalom. It’s not enough to put an end to this string of crimes—we need solid, incontrovertible proof and no collateral damage.
Tread Carefully,
Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin
Lantern Lodge:
Honored Wanderer,
The turmoil in the Minkai Empire has been growing as of late, and the Higashiyama Clan has been increasingly harsh against those who dare speak out against them. A rash young son of a large trading house made the mistake of speaking too freely and was forced to cut ties with his family and flee the country. The boy’s name is Kosanti Hokamagi and he is an adept poet and artist.
I have reason to believe Hokamagi is here in Absalom, selling paintings of Sarenrae, Cayden Cailean, and Iomedae worked in the Tian style; such works have suddenly become quite popular. Locating this artist and helping him get back in contact with his family in Minkai would create a bond between the Society and the Kosanti Trading House and would pay off immensely.
Ever in Your Debt,
Venture-Captain Amara Li
Osirion:
Servant of the Pharaoh,
I have been informed that you are to be investigating the disappearance of stolen religious artifacts in the God’s Market. Recently, an item of spiritual and historical import was purchased and subsequently stolen en route to the Osirian embassy. The relic is a ceremonial staff head called the Scarab of the Dawnflower and was used by the Cult of the Dawnflower before the rule of pharaohs was restored to Osirion. If you can find this staff head, claim it in the name of the Ruby Prince and retrieve it, so it can be forwarded to one of the great universities in Osirion where it belongs. Failing that, get me what information you can about the location of the relic so we can ensure it is returned to its proper home.
Closing,
Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage
Qadira:
Honorable Entrepreneur,
As you well know, dealing in illicit merchandise can be dangerous for a profit-minded individual—stolen items can be difficult to sell for a reasonable price or without expensive legal entanglements—but undertaken carefully, it can be quite lucrative.
As part of a larger transaction, I acquired some items of worship that were almost certainly stolen from the Church of Asmodeus. My first reaction was to dispose of the tainted goods, but I couldn’t bear the thought of liquidating that much merchandise at a loss. So it is quite fortuitous that you are to be spending time in the God’s Market. If you could find a merchant who has no qualms about selling such items, we could come to a very rewarding agreement.
Wishing You Long Life and Large Margins,
Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam
Sczarni:
Most Esteemed Cousin,
I am pleased to discover the Pathfinder Society is helping to stamp out the local competition. In appreciation for their efforts, I offer this little morsel. There is a fence who works the God’s Market, a weaselly-faced fellow with a propensity to spook. He’s been quite busy as of late and has been spotted flashing a lot of gold in the gambling houses. We haven’t been able to get his name, but odds are he is involved in your robberies.
When you are shaking down my competition, perhaps you can find who’s been buying these religious relics of questionable origin from the fence. I have some similar merchandise that I’m having trouble shifting, so I’m in need of a good buyer.
May the Family Preserve You,
Guaril Karela
Shadow Lodge:
Trusted Agent,
These attacks on Pathfinders are of great concern to me—the Decemvirate is again acting complacent while Pathfinders are being sacrificed to their cause. It was only with a great deal of verbal bludgeoning on my part that they even brought you in to solve this mess. The concern I did not share with the Decemvirate is that there might be a betrayal within the Society or by someone who is dogmatically clinging to the former Shadow Lodge.
I fear that somehow the Society’s privacy has been breached. While you are out on your mission, discover how our adversaries have been targeting the Pathfinders and by what methods they have been spying on us; if it’s an internal problem, we need to stamp it out before more agents are harmed.
Trust in Solidarity,
Grandmaster Torch
Silver Crusade:
Young Shepherd,
The Society places great value in relics. Though such items are greatly treasured by the churches and scholars, I personally find them little more than intriguing distractions—though if you can return a relic to it’s rightful owner, you should obviously take the chance. Similarly, if you find a lost sheep and can return it to its flock, you have done a service to both the sheep and the shepherd.
As you are going through your investigations, remember that not all who serve evil are evil at heart, and that many a sheep has been led astray by deceit and treachery. Should you stumble across any sheep who have lost their way, urge them to seek redemption and help them return to their flock.
Mind the Flock,
Ollysta Zadrian
Taldor:
Valued Pawn,
As of late, I’ve been having problems with Viviana Rallano, a Taldan countess who has taken up residence in Absalom. For reasons that are of no concern to you, I have been tasked with cleaning up a rather delicate mess she’s made for our glorious empire. It has come to my attention that she recently made some inquires about a particularly valuable relic, and she may have left a few traces of her misdoings. I’ve taken care to adequately punish the countess, but I need you to destroy any evidence you come across that may implicate her in this whole relic mess you’ll be dealing with. Just be sure to make the evidence’s destruction looks like an accident.
