[PFS]DM Elanmorin's #9-08 BIRTHRIGHT BETRAYED (4-5) (Inactive)

Game Master Rogar Valertis

"We should talk to the magistrate once we have evidence that Varnisant is doing something illegal. We don't have anything of the kind right now. Let's visit that talking painting. Be careful not to tell anything to it that we wouldn't want Varnisant to know. We should pretend to be just interested in the man."

"Sounds like a plan."

After much deliberation you agree to go back to the museum and check Varnisant's portrait out.
Cincia doesn't seem to be around so you skip directly to the painting. It's still hanging on the wall just to the right of the front doors. Earl Calhadion Vernisant, looking far to the distance, the crown-and-lion
standard of Taldor waving behind him. As you approach and fix your gaze on him, the painted earl nods stately almost as if he were beckoning you to speak.

Q'lack approaches the painting.

"Earl Venisant! My goodness he is handsome! Well, for a human. Look at that distinguished nose. I hear locally they call him the Earl on the Ocean, after his support for the navy...Tell me good Earl, what is the secret to your success?"

"That's me indeed! Earl Calhadion Vernisant, a member of the Taldan Senate, and a direct descendant of the famous General Arnisant, Hero of the Shining Crusade. The secret of my success you say, dear subject? Well it's no secret I'm a decisive leader, renowned for his fairness and magnanimity, and loved by all. And if by any chance with "success" you meant, "success with the ladies" specifically... I'd like to claim it's because of my innate generosity... but the truth is I just possess that natural charm that distinguishes us natural born leaders from the unwashed rabble" the painting responds to Q'lack's questions with deep seriousness...

sense motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Q'lack looks impressed. "I read that you are also descended from the Inheritor...." he probes.

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Slade raises an eyebrow and lets out a snort when he realizes the truth.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

That's so true Earl Vernisant. No lady could not fall for your natural charms. How have you deal with smugglers and pirates? In my youth, these vermines were always a thorn in my liege's foot. What is your secret?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

"I am pleased to make your aquintance Earl Vernisant. You must be proud to have so many artifacts of your ancestor gathered here"

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Nei-lung bows his head toward the painting. "It is an honor. It is rare for a commoner to have the chance to speak with nobility face-to-face."

Zomo watches; happy with the questions that have been asked, eager to hear the replies.

Assuming that we can hear each others responses

"My good Earl. I would learn of your masterful tactics. Rogish elements pervade every society, and I would learn from you. Could you tell me more about your masterful tactics and how your sense of justice helped rid this town of such vile elements?"

Yes, please great Earl Arnisant, we need you listen from great mind as yourself to do better ourself.

"Great Earl, I am a student of the arcane arts. Would you mind if I study your marvelous paintings to see what masterfull spells have been woven into it?"

I want to determine whether there is any actual connection between the human earl and this painting. i.e. if the earl knows that we are talking to his painting

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"If you please, Earl Vernisant, you must have great pride in seeing so many artifacts here in the museum that tell of your noble ancestry. Are there any items currently here that helped you achieve your success? We have great interest in the nobility of Ridonport, and Taldor, and wish to study it further."

The painted Earl give you a condescending smile and answers:"You are wise to ask for my consuel. Unfortunately such complex subjects require my full attention. Please direct detailed questions about this matter to my office in Oppara"

You got what you could out of the painting, an insight on how Varnisant's personality works. This could provide you with an advantage in the future but besides that the painting is not going to tell you anything incriminating about the Earl activities

Away from the museum: "That is fascinating magic, shame it is wasted in such a way. Shall we rest until the night falls, then see to the pirates and the locked safe. Or does anyone wish to approach the magistrate with rumors?"

Zomo might be able to 'remember' the knock spell but that doesn't help with any traps or alarms, if we try to crack the safe.

"I agree with you, Zomo. I think the pirates should be our next task. Breaking into the safe is not the top of my list, if it is not necessary, and we may get what we need from the pirates. Although I fear the safe will need investigating regardless."

"Dealing with pirates is more in my skillset. I don't crack safes."

Myrd nods "I also prefer the pirates. Some gold will likely loosen their tongue"

You wait until until night time and converge on the canal where the pirates are supposed to dwell. A beautiful full moon lights the landscape, perfect conditions to spot a byunch of canal pirates unloading their ill gotten gains. You spend the night in hiding, waiting for someone to come but no one shows up and your task proves tedious and fruitless. By dawn you give up and get back to the museum, tired and more than a little bit angry for having wasted the whole night.

Where next?

knowledge (local): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25

"Can we contact Count Orlundo Zespire? Get on a valuable shipment while letting it be known that the shipment is valuable?"

"What about searching the city underways during the day, catching the pirates as they sleep. Secrecy only exists in degrees, we may find careless tongues by the docks, careless tongues that will lead us to their hideout."
diplomacy (gather information): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Zomo attempts to 'remember' the spell seek thought to assist in his search the the smuggler / pirate layer:
Amnesia Roll: seek thoughts: 1d100 ⇒ 9 The amnesiac is unable to cast spells this round; I use a second level spell slot and can not attempt this again for one hour.

A few options you have are: visit the magistrate, pay a visit to the chandlery by night-time or wait until the waxing moon to ambush the pirates. You could also try to spread minsinformation in order to lure the pirates out of hiding, or try something entirely different I haven't thought of myself...

I think we should lure the pirates out of hiding. Is anyone good at bluffing? Spreading some false rumors might do it.

Zomo, frustrated, meets up with the others after a day of dealing with marines and sailors.

"Nothing for rumors. If we are going to continue to pursue the smugglers I can go by the canals and speak with the dogs, fish and rats?"

Responding to Slade, "I can keep a straight face betting on horse races, but spreading rumors the will draw out smugglers. That might be beyond me."

[ooc]I'm feeling like we are hitting a few dead ends with the smugglers, should we as player put our attention elsewhere?"[ooc]

"I'm willing to revisit the idea of seeing the magistrate. We can imply we are here looking into smuggling on behalf of an 'discrete' taldan noble. See if the are desperate for outside help?"

I'm better in diplomacy than in deceiving people.

Says Henry.

We can wait for a moonless night, and try to know where the smuggler will act or try to pick a look inside the safe and "discuss" with some officers ?

"I believe we should look into the safe. If what you say is true, Zomo, we should wait until the moon lessens before another attempt at catching the pirates. 'Often, when you try to catch two rabbits at once, you catch neither.' Let us focus on one goal for the moment. It does not sound as if our group is well suited for deceptive plots."

"There is evidence in the chandlery. We could also introduce ourselves to the magistrate. We may learn something even if we don't want to tip our hand too soon there." croaks Q'lack.

"But I also see no concern with also looking at the smuglers cave during the day. Unless they have magical wards in place to alert them, we should be fine."

In order to spread misinformation you need diplomacy and bluff. The first allows you to talk convincingly to a good number of people while the second determines how believable your lies are. If you want to attempt this I'll set the difficulty to 20 for each and award a bonus modifier for good roleplay. If you don't want to do that you need to tell me what you want to do next, you have not given me a clear consensus on what you want your next move to be

I think we should investigate the chandlery.

I agree for the chandlery

"'To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish.' The chandlery is a good choice. We have taken Patrician Adimare into our confidence. We would be remiss if we delayed longer in taking advantage of his willingness to help. 'Lost time is never found again'"

"The chandlery then? We must continue to operate in this city after this. I can cloud a man's memory or can crack a safe, I can not do both."

Does someone want to go out in disguise and pick up 6 masks and cloaks?

Bluff to deceive fellow pathfinders: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

"I am no good at telling lies" Myrd says with a straight face and then laughs "Oh come on! There is a very thin line between diplomacy and telling falsehoods. To do either one you have to know what to say and what to omit, so the listener will fill in the details he wants to hear. But I am willing to go to the chandlery first. I am no good with disguises, so it might be best if someone else would purchase those cloaks. If no one wants to do that I can tell the storekeeper we need them for a costumed ball."

Bluff to deceive storekeeper: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

So I just remembered a class feature that I forgot about. just striking out my old post because I rolled a die.

"In a past life I walked among the cheliax invaders, unseen, one of them. I will do this again." After resting during the day and while the others prepare for the heist, Zomo meditates and 'remembers' the spell Disguise Self with Mnemonic Esoterica.

Using the magical disguise Zomo will then watch over the chandlery, keeping an eye on the coming and goings. Zomo try to arrive a little before the chandlery to make sure he sees the guards arrive. The disguise lasts for 50 min. He is willing to refresh it twice for 150 min. total of disguise.

"Perfect. While you acquire masks, can anyone case the joint? Watch for how many guards arrive on duty, and how many entrances there are?"

"I am perhaps a little more obvious than the rest of you" admits Q'lack.

"Perhaps someone else could acquire me a disguise."

That said, he happily applies a disguise. "I remember a masquerade ball I attended some months ago.." he croaks.

disguise, min result of 13: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 So a 13 due to a FJC boon

You disguise and keep good watch over the place. Nothing out of the ordinary seems to happen though. As soon as it's dark and you are sure the Chandlery is closed to business you move near the huge building.
The chandlery has a front door facing the docks to the south and a back door facing an alley to the west. Both seem like good wooden doors, and sport locks. You'll need to deal with those if you want to get inside...

Pick a door and the best way to deal with it

Zomo adjusts his eagle mask and ponders as he looks at the walls "I wonder what we can detect through these?"

message is cast on the group.

Are the walls wood or stone? Zomo is considering using detect thoughts or detect magic.

Slade stands by playing the role of bodyguard. My options include breaking the door down and breaking the door down.

Myrd casts a few spells and then moves into the alley to check the door for traps. After he has done that he casts detect magic through it.

Perception take 20: 20 + 7 + 2 = 29
casting Mage Armor, Protection from arrows and Heightened Awareness

Henry stays in his old parade armor and try to look like the soldier he was.

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25

I can help to open the door if needed. Says Henry drawing somes tools of quality.

With a flick of his wrist, a wand suddenly appears in Nei-lung's hand. After activating the Wand of Mage Armor and using it on himself, he replaces the wand and resets the wrist sheathe.

"'A clever person turns great problems into little ones and little ones into none at all.'

"I am ready. I believe we should try to enter through the door in the alley."

Mage Armor, +4 AC for one hour. Whichever door is decided on...
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Zomo activates a wand, draws on the vitality of his past lives, then helps steel Henry for the task ahead.

Cast heightened awareness from the wand, cast false life, cast guidance on Henry.
false life: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

The former shaman focuses intently and waits for the psychic ripples all intelligent minds create. Cast detect thoughts as a spell like ability. Zomo can concentrate on this for up to 5 minutes. DC 19 to avoid Zomo reading the surface thoughts.

We didn't see any roof or sewer entrances did we?

@Zomo: the walls are made of stone and brick, the roof is supported by wooden logs. And no, you don't know about any other entrances besides the 2 doors.

Since Neffery warned you about the back door having an alarm installed I'm going to assume you tackle the front door

After carefully casting several spells on yourselves you approach the main door. Zomo tries to detect thoughts from the inside but the spell fails to detect anything useful, possibly because no one was in range. It's apparent it's decently made. You surmise you have 3 options: pick the lock, kick the door down or knock and hope someone opens it for you from the inside...

Do we want to break the door down?

"I think Henry was indicating he had some skills along those lines.." croaks Q'lack.

Zomo will continue to concentrate on detecting thoughts (5 minutes), finding an angle where he is most likely to detect anyone approaching the door from the other side as Henry picks the lock.

knowledge (engineering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Knowledge Engineering: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 2 = 30

"The lock is the weak point on this door" Myrd adds after having looked at the doors "Henry, if you would be so kind?"

In less than one minute, Henry is capable or not to pick the lock Make DC25 in 8 tries, or DC15 in 3 tries.