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You begin the adventure in Katheer at the Pathfinder
lodge operated by Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi,
who is abroad but has left written instructions you.
Pathfinders,
As the seasons change and the fickle winds alter their course to bring rain to a parched land, so too do the Ten once again
turn their eyes toward Qadira and its riches. Sadly, the circumstances are tragic, not celebratory. Trade Princess Zarmina
Bahjari, mentor and aunt-by-marriage to the esteemed Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam, passed away recently, and the
family is holding a wake for her at their estate in Katheer. The trade prince has asked a handful of agents to join him for this
event, and I request that you do just that both as a show of solidarity for an important ally of the Society. I understand he
also has other work for you that might prove quite lucrative, so as long he does not ask for anything too bizarre, I trust you
will honor his requests as you would my own.
I am away on business, but I had another agent retrieve several worthy items from my personal vault. Please take one to
offer to the family in the name of the Society and me during the wake.
Be civil,
Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi
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As he looks over the note, a wiry half elf with raven-black hair and a slight hint of facial stubble begins to shake his head as he thinks to himself "Really!? I was called all the way out to this scorching hell-hole to attend a funeral!? This al'Hakam better have a decent job waiting to make up for the time."
Then, with a resigned sigh, he says quietly to himself "I suppose it can't be helped..."
Turning to the group he bow as he introduces himself. "Greetings to you all, and apologies for not addressing you sooner. I am Aramil of Taldor, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
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Hakime reads the note, standing beside the half-elf as she does so. Her loose-flowing white hair almost hides the small horns that grow from her forehead, but not completely. She turns to smile at him as he introduces himself. Despite her odd features, her smile is infectiously warm and her voice is soft and sweet. "I am called Hakime, originally from this land, though that was a long time ago, and I recall little of it, since I have lived in Absalom many years now. I am so honored to meet you, good Aramil."
Her chain shirt, emblazoned with the symbol of Sarenrae, and the sword and flail at her belt are sure indicators of a martial bent to her profession. Even her shield is spiked, turning it into a weapon as well as a defensive aid. She turns to the others gathered there and gives them a broad smile. "I am indeed pleased to meet you all. May Sarenrae bless you all this fine day."
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A petite young woman of fair skin and dark hair joins the group in the reading of the note. Her complexion is flawless save for the tribal varisian tattooes that cover her body as far as the eye can see, and the eye can see a lot in the scantily clad red and black outfit that she currently wears.
She speaks, softly The Paracountess must be angry with me to send me out of the confines of the city on such a mission. I guess you will be my body guards. I am a Lichtor in training, Harlynne. Graduated with honors from the Egorian Academy.
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The door swings open and heads turn to see... nothing. Until they look down a little bit to see a small, though heavily armored halfling enter the room. Behind him a large dog with shiny silver-grey fur pauses in the doorway to sit down and get a nagging itch under her collar, then resumes her saunter behind the small halfling.
Luna, Down He says, with a hand wave towards the ground. The elegant, muscular canine obliges with a lazy flop onto the floor near the wall.
Good girl. He says with a smile, and opens his palm to her muzzle, revealing a treat that she greedily licks up.
The flag bearing the symbol of the Andoran faction drapes along the haft of the small sized lance as he leans it against the wall near his loyal canine mount. He turns quickly and rifles through the saddlebags for a moment, then turns to the others gathered in the room.
This group looks like it is going to be interesting, He says with a smile, Well met again Aramil. It is good to see a familiar face. For those of you who have not yet met me, my name is Pooka Bladespinner. My loyal steed and I may be small in stature, but woe to those who underestimate our strength together!
Moving over to the note, he says, mostly to himself, Lets take a look at the message our oh-so-busy venture captain left us.
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"Ha! Just out of the confirmation and they send me and what appears to be a few other wet-behind-the-ears lackeys to represent the society! Tells you how much they really value this, er ...", looking at the letter, "... al’Hakam. Well, it all pays the say, right?!"
"They call me The Gutter. I'm sure we'll all get to know each other all intimate and friendly like at this here party ... funeral ... whatever."
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Following in close behind The Gutter is a dark haired aasimar female with a disinterested expression. Upon fully entering the room, she gazes around, quickly noting her companions.
"You can call me Adriana", she remarks in a quiet voice, before half smiling at The Gutter. "I see you are still the joyful ray of sunshine I met during my confirmation?"
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"Well I don't know anything about Zarmina
Bahjari, but prince Aaqir al’Hakam is of Qadiran descent ... perhaps the scimitar as depicted on the Qadiran flag would be appropriate. Of course, maybe we take the Scimitar and give them ... hmm ... this spear of mine as a gift. Ha ... what say you fellow Pathfanderites!"
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ooc - currently on phone cannot type brackets so no die rolls or formatting of any kind, sorry
Hakime shrugs and says, "the gift of such a fine blade might not be so appropriate for a trade princess. perhaps the ring might be more suitable."
ooc- Hakime hasn't been to qadira since she was a little girl so doesn't really know the customs...perhaps someone with 'know local'?
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What Adriana can tell you all:
There are some common funerary
customs tied to the local worship of Sarenrae.
A typical wake begins as a somber affair,
but it’s common for the mood to lighten as the
sun warms the room and the living share
stories about the deceased and comfort the
surviving family members
A typical wake begins as a somber affair,
but it’s common for the mood to lighten as the
sun warms the room and the living share
stories about the deceased and comfort the
surviving family members
In terms of being appropriate, all three would be fine.
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Harlynne also knows that a less common funerary practice
involves exposing the corpse to the sun
for a week or more in conjunction
with simple magic to prevent
the corpse from decomposing.
During this time, family and
friends watch over the body to
keep scavengers away.
She also thinks that any of the gifts would be appreciated.
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After picking up the gift, the group of Pathfinders makes their way to the house of Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam. Servants of Zarmina’s family see to your immediate needs and direct you to a study,where you meet the Trade Prince himself.
Dressed in a white linen robe tied with a silk sash, Trade Prince
Aaqir al’Hakam stands behind a desk in this small study. He
spreads his arms wide in welcome, though his face speaks to
his fatigue and grief. “You are a welcome sight, Pathfinders, and
I trust you are here at the behest of the esteemed Esmayl ibn
Qaradi. As you can tell, this is not a day to uncover fresh secrets.
Rather, it is one of mourning for Zarmina Bahjari—a noble trade
princess, my mentor, and the reason I ever became a trade
prince. I am here to see to her estate, act as executor of her will,
and carry on her commercial interests."
“It may seem strange to engage in business during so somber
an occasion, but trade happens quickly in Qadira; my late aunt by
marriage would actually be disappointed were I not to wrangle
her vulture-like competitors into submission. Even so, it would
be unseemly for a member of Zarmina’s family to conduct
business at her wake."
“Though I have inherited much from my mentor, I do not
intend to sit idly and live off her successes. It is still my intention
to strengthen trade routes with throughout the Inner Sea while
making the Pathfinder Society my chief ally. I want you to stand
as an example of what we have to gain by continuing to work
with the western nations."
“For that reason, I requested the Society’s aid
because we have only a brief window of opportunity
to speak with our rivals and convince them instead
to become our allies. There are five in particular
that I would benefit from your attention, and I
understand several of them maintain their own
rivalries with one another. Win over as many as
you can, and I shall speak with them afterward to
negotiate any details. Is that agreeable?”
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Pooka bows deeply to the Trade Prince.
It is our honor to be here to assist you in this sad time Aaqir al'Hakam. We would be happy to assist in any way we can, to strengthen both your trade, and the society's standing with what is to be the most powerful and influential Trade Prince in Qadira.
Pooka pulls out a notepad to ensure he doesn't miss any details.
Who are these potential allies, and if you have any information on which ones are rivals with others, that would probably be very useful.
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The trade prince listens to the questions.
"“I or one of my assistants shall point them out as they
arrive. Their names are Pellius Melkior from Andoran,
Doritannia Raffella from Taldor, Temel Passad from
Druma, Jakti al’Awar from Qadira, and Metella Rauger
from the Five Kings Mountains. I understand that
Passad, al’Awar, and Rauger are particularly influential.”
“Temel Passad is a prophet of Kalistrade, an
adherent to a strict set of personal codes that supposedly
aid in one’s earning wealth. He is a clever man that the
Society has dealt with before—typically under pleasant
circumstances. His business ventures sometimes compete
with those of the Five Kings Mountains, which has led to a
rivalry with Metella Rauger.”
“Doritannia Raffella buys and sells alcohol and
spirits. She comes from a common household yet elevated
her status through her own acumen and hard work, though
she recently fell on hard times. No doubt her experience
would be a valuable asset to any business venture.”
“Metella Rauger represents several trading houses from
the Five Kings Mountains, and she
has worked with the Society and its
allies before. She’s stubborn but
fair. No doubt she will be on edge
here thanks to Temel Passad’s
having decided to attend and
honor Zarmina’s memory.”
“Pellius Melkior is from Andoran and has
established himself as a reliable trader of durable goods
in his country. Rumor has it that he has also looked into
expanding his business into the River Kingdoms and Taldor.”
And finally.
"“Jakti al’Awar has spent much time abroad and
only recently returned to Qadira. He maintains a small
business in magic items, and some speculate that his
travels and business are primarily for scholarly purposes.
What is known is mostly speculation; he is something of an
unknown here.”
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I wonder if being a member of the Andoran faction of the Society would benefit us at all in dealing with Melkior. Pooka wonders aloud.
Turning to the group, I would like to hear your thoughts on how we should handle this. I think we should start with Temel Passad, seeing as he is a friend of the society. Once we have secured his alliance, I think we should move to Jakti al'Awar. If we can secure his alliance as well, Metella Rauger will likely find our offer much more appealing with the other two most influential traders already allied with Aaqir al’Hakam. The last two, while not inconsequential, will also hopefully find our offer most intriguing. What do you think?
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The trade prince listens, nodding as the Pathfinder work out their plan.
"That could work indeed. Shortly I will take you to the reception. There will be a couple of hours for you to circulate. Towards evening everyone will repair to the chrine of the dawnflower. There you will present your gift and make a speach."
He pauses. "It is traditional to mention some of the other guests in your speach. I imagine there will be some feathers fluffed or flustered no matter who you mention - or fail to mention."
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Pooka, standing aside his loyal mount, waits for an appropriate time in the din of conversation to approach Temel.
Master Passad, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Pooka Bladespinner. Pooka dips into a deep bow. Luna, Bow
The muscular war canine obliges and stretches her front paws forward, bringing her muzzel to the ground while her hind legs remain straight. After a few moments, the dog returns to a standing position. Sit.
As Luna plumps her hindquarters on the ground, Pooka continues. I don't mean to impose, but when I heard you were attending today I felt it necessary to introduce myself. I have heard that you have had previous dealings with the pathfinder society and thought it important to make your acquaintance on behalf of the society. Terrible circumstances that bring us all to the same place, but alas it seems that tragedy and triumph are the only things big enough to draw us from our daily routines. I trust your travel was safe and swift?
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Hakime bows to Temel as Pooka introduces himself, and softly introduces herself when he is done speaking. "I am Hakime, Sir, and I am honored to meet you. THough the occasion is a somber one, we gather not only to mourn a loss, but to celebrate a life. My esteemed colleague here has the right of it, as it does indeed require a great event, good or bad, to draw us out and to the same venue. I hope we can find common ground to speak of while we are here."
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Adriana bows respectfully and greets Temel with the respect deserved of his station "Greetings Temel, may the Everlight bless you with her light" Adriana pauses slightly, to see how this is taken before continuing "It is indeed sad tidings that brought us here, and I am glad that we are able to celebrate the life of a wonderful person that inspired so many people, and it gives me great personal satisfaction that an influential person such as yourself graced the wake with your presence. Words cannot describe the gratitude I feel for this, and I hope there is some small way we can repay you"
Idly, Adriana wonders to herself how likely it would be to find a Cult of the Dawnflower member in such a staunch city of Sarenrae worshipers, fully aware of the tensions between it and Taldor.
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Temel nods, taking careful note of the pathfinders. "Pleased to meet you Pathfinders. It is a sad day - but one that brings together a lot of ...strange bedfellows."
The next merchant to arrive is Doritannia Raffella.
Doritannia is an attractive Taldan woman in her 30s with long brown hair. She is dressed finely but moves with none of the grace and
bearing that might suggest a noble upbringing.
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As the rest of the group converses with Tamel, Aramil spots the beautiful Taldan woman and makes his way towards her, thinking "Now this is much more up my alley."
As he moves up to greet her, he offers a gentleman's greeting as he bows low and says "Lady Raffella, I presume? May I say that it is an honor to meet you, m'lady. It is comforting to see a fellow Taldan in these stange lands, even if the circumstances of our meeting are unfortunate ones. But please, allow me to introduce myself; I am Aramil Sionadel of the Pathfinder Society."
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The Lady Raffella seems charmed by Aramil. "My goodness, civlised manners. What a pleasure it is to see a man such as yourself..." she gushes at Aramil.
The next two to enter are Metella Rauger, a redheaded dwarf and Pellius Melkior, a clean-shaven man of average height with sandy-brown hair.
A few minutes later, the last of the major merchants arrives - accompanied by a pair of body guards.
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Hakime takes a moment to introduce herself to each of the newcomers as they enter, striking up brief conversations with each.
She gives a slight bow to Metella Rauger and says, "A pleasure to meet you Madame Rauger. I hight Hakime of Absalom and a representative of the Pathfinders. Though the occasion could be considered a sad one, we are here to celebrate the life of a great woman."
When Melkior enters, she walks over to him, smiles warmly. "You must be Mister Pellius Melkior. I am Hakime, a Pathfinder, and great admirer of the Andoran philosophies. We were all distressed to hear of the passing of the Lady Zarmina and have come to honor her memory and celebrate her life."
As the last arrival of the major merchants makes his appearance, she approaches cautiously so as not to alarm his bodyguards. She bows to him. "Blessings of the Dawnflower on this day of sobering events. The Lady Zarmina will be sorely missed. I am Hakime and it is my great honor to meet you, Sir"
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Pooka sees his companions doing a fine job of pressing the flesh with the merchants as they enter the gathering. Seeing Pellius enter, his eyes light up and he makes his way over.
Good day Master Melkior. I am pleased to meet another soul from Andoran. My family has been serving the Andoran faction of the Pathfinder society for as long as I can remember, though now it is known as Liberty's Edge.
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Seeing the other merchants enter, Aramil politely dismisses himself from Lady Raffella and moves to greet the newcomers.
As he approaches Metella, he bows as he greets her in dwarven.
In common, Aramil will offer a similar greeting to the other two merchants.
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The Gutter continues to mingle, hanging back and listening to each of their marks. Looking at Lady Raffella he sees her unease, knowing his powers of persuasion would be perfect to sway her allegiance.
After listening to the others introductions he makes his way to Lady Raffalla. "Good day my lady. The unfortunate passing of Trade Princess Zarmina has opened up opportunities for new allegiances. I think it would be wise for you to ally with the great Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam. The relationship would be of mutual financial benefit. I would hate to see your recent hard times continue or anything to happen to your alcohol and spirits business if you chose a less beneficial allegiance.
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Hakime works out that Metella Rauger seems very interested in all sorts of services - and anyone with a profession skill can use that to try and influence her.
She also realises that Jakti al’Awar is very interested in peoples religions. knowledge(religion) may be used to influence him.
Harlynn listens and hears Pellius Melkior talking alot about local affairs. knowledge(local) may be used to influence him.
Gutter picks up all of that :-)
Pooka talks with Melkior, after a while it becomes evident that the merchant and Metella Rauger have a lot of business ventures in common, if one could win the favour of Rauger it may also help with Melkior..
Lady Raffalla looks worried as Gutter discusses her recent difficulties.
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Hakime chats for a bit with Metella Rauger about the state of professional skills in general and soldiering a bit in specific.
She turns her attention in time when an opening presents itself to speak with Jakti al'Awar about her service to the Dawnflower and religion in more general terms as well.
When talking to Temel, she speaks of the value of things, and brings up the inevitable progress of inflation and how she sees it affecting trade.