[PFS, CORE] #2-24: Shadow's Last Stand Part 2 (GM Andrew) (Inactive)

Game Master Yiroep

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Rogar is still gruff, still ugly, and still heavily armed with monk weapons.

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d0t.

Dotting for fun and profit.

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The cool ocean air of Almas is less forgiving than usual this early morning, leaving the streets empty even of vagrants. As the moon showers its last ivory rays onto the cobblestone street and the tip of the sun begins to climb over the watery horizon, a lone figure slinks out from a nearby alleyway, pulling back its hood and revealing itself to be Venture-Captain Alissa Moldreserva, a dour expression cemented to her face.

"It’s a shame we couldn’t have met at the lodge, but thanks to all the disappearances and political turmoil as of late, I’d say it’s best to keep a low profile for the time being, at least until things get sorted out. It’s bad enough that the good name of Pathfinders everywhere is being slandered by that treacherous group of villains, the ones who call themselves the Shadow Lodge - now the politicians are on our hides thanks to that damnable Ouidda."

"No doubt you’ve heard of her - Dorianna Ouidda, one of the representatives on the Peoples’ Council here in Almas. She showed up in Almas a few years back, and she’s been out to get the Society ever since. Her origins are damn-near untraceable by practical means; it took us this long to finally get to the bottom of the matter, and while it’s no secret she has it out for the Society, few know the truth behind the matter, which is what I’m here to tell you."

"We have it on good authority that Ouidda is none other than the Spider - the leader of the Shadow Lodge cell here in Almas - and that she’s been using her fellow cabalists to smear our name throughout the city. She’s trying to get the legitimate members of the Society either completely run out of Almas or completely under her thumb, but for what reason, we don’t yet know. We know she’s got some shady dealings in her past with the slave trade, and we think she might be up to some of that business here in Almas too."

"In just a few days’ time, Ouidda will be going up in front of the Council to make her most damaging speech yet, a speech which could obliterate the Society’s presence in Almas, if not the whole nation of Andoran. The tricky part is, the Society doesn’t have enough proof of her association with the Shadow Lodge or the slave trade to get her disbarred yet. That’s where you come in. You should uncover evidence of Ouidda’s foul business in Almas, whatever that may be, and to stop her from delivering her speech before the legislature at the palace of the Peoples’ Council the morning after next. You will have to go around the city finding leads regarding the Spider; and I encourage you to uncover nasty or criminal information about her. The general public is not keen on Pathfinders since Ouidda started smearing the organization’s reputation, so I recommend that you find the clues you need as quickly as possible during the day and make the rest of their moves after dark so they don’t rouse too much suspicion."

"Any questions?"

It is 7 AM right now.

"Any clues as to where she does business? Or who she does business with? I presume the idea of making her disappear was considered and rejected."

Garn frowns to himself. Skulking around in a city is not something he is comfortable with, and political play is something foreign to him. Uncertain what is the best actions to take in this city, Garn stays silent for now.

Malakiah got just enough time to recompose himself and prepare some spells, before goes to meet Venture-Captain Alissa Moldreserva.

He was initially surprised that the call was made to meet her at a different location than the Lodge, but even so he went to meet her with the rest of the party.

After heard what Alissa Moldreserva had to say, the wizard asks: "Mr. Brackett told us that the Sapphire Sage Amenopheus was investigating 'The Spider'. Is he still in town? Where can we find him?"

Is a knowledge (local) check allowed?

"Any clues as to where she does business? Or who she does business with? I presume the idea of making her disappear was considered and rejected."

"While I’d normally suggest we handle Society matters ourselves, this time it’s a bit different. If we strike at an elected member of the People’s Council, we risk the very result of disgracing the Pathfinder name we hope to avoid. This needs to be handled legally, which means we need to expose Ouidda for the scoundrel she is. As to where she does business, that's for you to figure out. We don't currently have any leads. Asking about 'The Spider' may help you."

After heard what Alissa Moldreserva had to say, the wizard asks: "Mr. Brackett told us that the Sapphire Sage Amenopheus was investigating 'The Spider'. Is he still in town? Where can we find him?"

Venture-Captain Moldreserva raises an eyebrow. "Brackett said that? That's news to me. Last I heard of Amenopheus, he joined the Shadow Lodge. If he is indeed uncover investigating The Spider, it's likely you may come across him. As for where he is now, I do not know."

Is a knowledge (local) check allowed?

No beginning Knowledge (Local) checks (or any Knowledge for that matter), but it will be appropriate (as will Diplomacy) once the investigation starts.

"We should go ask around. Is there a way to contact you later?"

Malakiah looks surprised with Moldreserva's answer. "Then I think we should investigate it too. Do you know where we can start ask for informations? How much time do we have exactly?"

@GM Andrew I rechecked the gameplay trade of the part I to see if I was not going crazy about Amenopheus' information, but it seems that she really doesn't know this... Or is lying to us. May we attempt to make a Sense Motive check?

"We should go ask around. Is there a way to contact you later?"

"I think it is best that you try your best to deal with this on your own. If you absolutely must, you can go to the lodge for guidance, but as it is being watched I do not recommend it."

Malakiah looks surprised with Moldreserva's answer. "Then I think we should investigate it too. Do you know where we can start ask for informations? How much time do we have exactly?"

"The Spider's criminal web I believe runs deep. Just asking around for her might be enough. Her speech will be at mid-day in two days."

@GM Andrew I rechecked the gameplay trade of the part I to see if I was not going crazy about Amenopheus' information, but it seems that she really doesn't know this... Or is lying to us. May we attempt to make a Sense Motive check?

You are certainly welcome to!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
"Well if the spider deals in slaves let's check out the slave market. Or do they not have one of those here?"

"You're in Andoran my friend. If there is one, it is certainly not in plain site. Slavery is outlawed here."

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Our time is short. I suggest we start to look for informations about her right now. It was a pleasure speak with you, Alissa", Malakiah bows to the Venture-Captain.

No more questions for me, guys.

Jarlaxle smiles.

"Yes, I imagine anyone who tried to set-up a slave market in public around here would quickly thereafter end up with a brief date with a length of hemp..."

He looks thoughtful for a moment.

"That said, we can certainly spend some time gathering information, and see what turns up..."

Aid Jarlaxle in Diplomacy: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3

"We're looking for spiders and slavers. Seen any around? Hey! Where are you going?!"

"Maybe I should let you do the talking Jarlaxle."

"I'm afraid my talents aren't much use here. But I can protect the rest of you while you investigate."

-Posted with Wayfinder

We are entering the investigation part of the module.

So, mechanically, there's many different kinds of clues you can get here, and lots of information to be gathered. There's a few initial clues you can get from gathering information, and then one followup clue for each initial clue with another check that you only know to ask if you have the initial clue. You can either split up or go together for for this, but each "group" will get their own roll for how long the gather information check will take, and can decide whenever you want to stop if you feel you have enough information.

The appropriate checks for this are typical gather information, so Diplomacy or Knowledge (Local).

Take a little time to figure how to split out. I imagine that there may be a Diplomacy group and Knowledge (Local) group, though. ;)

Malakiah is the only one of us with kn Local. So how about the rest of us try to assist Jarlaxle with Diplomacy.

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (9) - 3 = 6

"Ok I've got this. Hey lady, What do you know about spiders? How about slavers? Hello?"

"Well at least this one only walked away instead of running away. We are making progress."

I don't think that split the party is a good idea. Malakiah has kn. local +10. If he can take '10 on the check, I believe that we don't need to split in the "diplomacy" party and "knowledge" party. What do you think?

If can't take '10, then maybe we should split the party...

@Malakiah: The only problem with that, is that if each clue takes 2d4 hours to gather, only having one party gathering info will take a *long* time...

Jarlaxle, knowing exactly how to coax information out of people, starts asking around to see what he can uncover.

Diplomacy(Gather Information): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26.

As GM strongly hinted, I suggest we have one group that is does knowledge(local), one that does diplomacy. One group would just be Malakiah working by himself using knowledge(local), since no one else can aid him. The rest would be the diplomacy group, who can assist Jarlaxle since diplomacy can be done untrained.

Garn, walking together with Jarlaxle, simply says, "Please help. If you can." Man of few words. :)

diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18 Not that I think he needs aid with that roll...

Take 10 is allowed. Waiting for everyone to chime in before I move on in this part.

As GM strongly hinted, I suggest we have one group that is does knowledge(local), one that does diplomacy. One group would just be Malakiah working by himself using knowledge(local), since no one else can aid him. The rest would be the diplomacy group, who can assist Jarlaxle since diplomacy can be done untrained.

Garn, walking together with Jarlaxle, simply says, "Please help. If you can." Man of few words. :)

[dice=diplomacy aid]1d20+0 Not that I think he needs aid with that roll...

Agreed. In this case, Malakiah will be the lone wolf of local secrets, taking '10 on his knowledge local check for a total of 20.

Finn also travels with Jarlaxle, trying to coax information out of passers-by.

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (13) - 2 = 11

Know I said I was gonna do separate rolls but it's easier for everyone if I just do one.

It takes 1d4 ⇒ 4 hours to gather this. Of course, after I say this. But you're doing fine with the splitting up.

I read it as 2 groups basically. Malakiah and the rest.

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Malakiah asks around about The Spider and eventually finds someone willing to listen. It is an Andoren man in overalls and carrying around an axe. He listens to Malakiah ask about the Spider.

"Only thing I know about this Spider character is that she’s supposedly the madam for an illegal brothel in the Theater District. Some place that’s just undergone some strange renovations of some sort. They've been buying my lumber up, so I haven't questioned anything about it."

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Jarlaxle, Rogar, Garn, and Finn all work as a team asking around for The Spider. Rogar mostly drives people away, but Garn and Finn are able to locate a man with a black eye called Gabro. The man sways and He gives a few "What's in it for me?" and "Whatcha looking for a Spider for?" before Jarlaxle comes by and explains the situation, at which point the man relents.

"If rumors are true - and I hope ’ere not - then this Spider is the nasty sort of rach'nid, the kind from distant lands like Ka-ta-pesh that brings her creepy slaver buddies with her. Only sensible way in from Katapesh is from a boat, and the only boat I seen around here that says it from Katapesh lately is the ship 'ey call the Sailswift. Me and my goonies have seen it by the docks a few 'imes, we have."

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So, now you can decide to follow up on a clue you have, or you can try to search for new clues.

Malakiah will search for more clues, before meet the others. Take '10 again.

There's a few initial clues you can get from gathering information, and then one followup clue for each initial clue with another check that you only know to ask if you have the initial clue.

Based on this, I would recommend that we follow up on each clue first to exhaust all the info we can get from each clue, before moving to other potential clues.

Let's follow up on what we have so far. Remember we have less then 2 days total. If we get nothing from what we've learned we can ask around some more.

You convinced me. Let's get together before looking for new clues. :)
Consider that Malakiah shared the informations he gathered with you.

"Let's go see if the Sailswift is in the docks."

[11:00 AM]

You head to the docks and search around for the Sailswift. Assuming you ask the dockmaster... The dockmaster responds by saying the ship isn't on his registry. A quick ask around reveals the same result.

It seems it would take about an hour to search the whole dock. Would you like to do that?

To clarify, for the follow up part (i.e. brothel and Sailswift), we are still splitting the party rather than go together to save time? I suggest Garn splits with Rogar and go with Malakiah to the brothel. Just in case he meets any problems.

Garn, with Snowball in tow, follows Malakiah to this brothel that he has found information about. The idea of man paying for such services is alien to him. Back in his tribe, women freely um ... connect with whichever men they fancy and vice versa. Before they mate for life, that is. He remains quiet along the way, trying to wrap his head around the idea.

OK, I feel some clarification is necessary. The follow-up clue is not actually going to the place. It's asking around about the place you found out about. So, you would still be walking around town asking for information, not going to the place you found out about. The extra clue might be helpful but in some cases isn't necessary.

Ah, sorry about that. Please retcon Garn's earlier post. He'll stick with Jarlaxle to assist with diplomacy checks then.

It seems it would take about an hour to search the whole dock. Would you like to do that?

I think yes. It seems our only option at this point.

"If we don't find this ship, I suggest to go to the Theater District next, then we look for some building under renovation there."

In that case...

Jarlaxle continues to try and collect information.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19.

Garn attempts to help Jarlaxle
Garn (Aid Another): 1d20 ⇒ 18

Hours Taken: 1d4 ⇒ 4 - of course

The two go through town looking for information and are still in the process of it.

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Rogar, Malakiah, and Finn(?) go to search for the Sailswift. After searching the entire harbor, they do not find the ship.

Seems it is not at the dock, or at least not currently.

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[12:00 PM - (noon)]

Jarlaxle & Garn - 3 hours left on Gather Information
Malakiah, Rogar, and Finn - Free

Need actions from Malakiah, Rogar, and Finn. - Maybe a followup for a clue about the Sailswift? ;)

"We couldn't find the Sailswift. Are we sure it's a ship?"

Finn again tries to help Jarlaxle find information.

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

-Posted with Wayfinder

@Finn as far as I understood, you went with Malakiah and Rogar OR aided Jarlaxle, not both.

As they didn't find the ship and Jarlaxle went away with Garn, Malakiah looks for more information, as them.

@GM Andrew Malakiah will take '10 on knowledge (local), to a total of 20. I supose that at least @Rogar went with Malakiah, huh?

Hours taken: 1d4 ⇒ 3

@GM Andrew Malakiah is trying to collect more clues about the Spider business at the Theater District.

We seem to have a disagreement on a course of action. I thought we had agreed to follow up on clues we had but then more gather information checks were made. Unless following up on clues is a gather information check. With luck Rogar can help Jarlaxle on Diplomacy but the only person who can help Malakiah on kn Local is Jarlaxle. I guess Rogar is with Malakiah to provide protection.

It's a gather information check. Rolling with it.

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Jarlaxle and Garn continue asking around, and find Analis, a local halfling trader. When asked about the spider, she replies, "This old half-elf, goes by the name of Jarovar - a real stingy, nasty type - well, he’s just set up his investment establishment in Almas, but he refuses to subscribe to any of the merchant guilds in the city and he only deals with a few clients who get small contributions from him, one of whom is the Spider, I hear. Queerer still, he makes odd ventures out of his shop in the dead of night, well after closing. Too shady for my kind of business."

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Malakiah travels with Rogar and Finn, and finds a beggar by the name of Audovini. She first asks for food, but when asked about The Spider, she says, "I don’t know much about the Spider, but if what I hear is true, he’s into the slave-trading business. I’ve also heard that some rather nasty crew members from a boat called the Sailswift have been showing up at the Almas docks more and more lately with rugs and contraband from Katapesh, only those sailors don’t look a bit Katapeshi. Real eerie, these types—and they only do their business at night. Their ship is anchored far off the shore during the day, but when dusk falls they bring her to the docks until sunrise. At least, that's what it seems like to me. But what does a crazy old beggar know anyway?"

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It is now 3:00 PM. You can reconvene at this point and decide what to do.

"It seems that we will find the Sailswift only at night, my friends. Maybe I can try to collect more clues about the Spider business at the Theater District, in this meanwhile", Malakiah suggested when reunited with the others, after gather the new informations.

"Well, if we can't find the ship at the docks until night fall, perhaps we should continue to gather information in the interim?"

"Well, if we can't find the ship at the docks until night fall, perhaps we should continue to gather information in the interim?"

"I think we should go to the Theater District, and look for some building under renovation there", Malakiah insists.

What I understand is that one line of clues is about the ship, and we have found out it docks at dusk. I think this one we have exausted the investigation. Another line of clues is about the brothel at the Theatre district. A third is about Jarovar's shop. Suggest we still keep to two groups, one each to find out more about the 2nd and 3rd clue.

"Agree. Malakiah's group to find out about the brothel in the Theatre district that the Spider is running. Jarlaxle's group to find out about Jarovar's shop."

diplomacy aid Jarlaxle: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3