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Aznive is startled by the body falling in the pit, but she decides to make the best of it, and searches the body for anything useful.
Once she's been hauled up, she shares her findings.
She watches Abaal for a moment, smiling broadly at his modesty, despite her current form. "You really take this whole not-touching thing seriously, don't you? Even though I'm currently a man?" Her expression changes suddenly, when she realizes she may have said too much. He probably things this is just a very good disguise. She quickly talks over her mistake. "We should watch out that we're not interrupted. And we should probably drop the other body down the pit as well. I should be able to reset it, so that anyone who comes in later doesn't see the bodies..."
She leaves the magic items to the spellcasters of the group, but studies the Aspis badge with interest. "This is odd. It's a fake... Why would someone in an actual Aspis hideout have a fake badge?"
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She notes the various ledgers and notes. "Well, all of this is good stuff. We'd best take it with us, and sort it our later. Can anyone makes heads or tails of it now?" The metal bars likewise draw her interest. "Could be worth something, I suppose."
She realizes they've hit something important when they finds the evidence about the Korholm Agenda, and the schematics of the Grand Lodge. "Jackpot! Leading an army out of the Tapestry. Is that how they did it?" She sees a possible links between what Azaal said. "Could those conjuration items be linked to dragging that army out of the Hao Jin Tapestry? Or am I grasping at straws here?"
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She watches Abaal for a moment, smiling broadly at his modesty, despite her current form. "You really take this whole not-touching thing seriously, don't you? Even though I'm currently a man?"
"Well, I am currently a nun. It would probably be unseemly." Says the six-foot-six nun.
She leaves the magic items to the spellcasters of the group, but studies the Aspis badge with interest. "This is odd. It's a fake... Why would someone in an actual Aspis hideout have a fake badge?"
"Another party such as ourselves in disguise perhaps? And the he adds: "'Grasping at straws?' Sorry your foreign sayings are like the rules of grappling--incomprehensible to me."
He moves to guard the eastern exit after shoving the rat thing into the pit.
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Xavian backs off after stabbing the ratman several times. Taking a deep breath, he proceeds to collect the rest of his daggers, wiping them clean on any spare rags or such that might be about. He then carefully put them back into their places.
He then looks to the potions and decides to answer his curiosity about them. Lesser Restoration... Remove Disease... oh, look over there. Secret door. Xavian points at the western wall. That could be important.
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"This cloak is enchanted - not sure how though. Anyone else?"
"Well this is interesting! It's like an alchemist in a bottle: Pour a potion into it and drink from it, a week later you'll have another potion of the same sort, albeit brewed with minimal skill. It seems to draw off the power of its owner: The more powerful the owner, the more powerful a potion it can replicate - and faster, too."
Nemesis has never seen metal like this before.
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Aznive stifles a mirthful laugh at Abaal's deadpan joke, knowing full well that they are still on an infiltration mission. "Never mind," she waves away his incomprehension. She's saved by Xavian, who seems to have paid better attention than the others.
[b]"That's interesting, Xavian. You're right that this could be important. If they leave this much information out in the open, think about what they might hide. She walks over to the secret door and examines it, to see how it might open (and whether it is trapped).
Aznive checks out the secret door, and reveals a room built into a natural hollow. It holds a bed and makeshift dresser, where a journal rests, a serpent etched over a picture of an open compass on its face.
The tunnel continues straight, with a room opening to the right after about 35 ft. Straight ahead, about 50 ft up, you can see a closed door, barred from this side.
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Aznive returns to the rest of the group. She keeps an eye out for Xavian from around the bend, so that she can assist if he runs into trouble. Meanwhile, she tries to discuss the progress of their mission with the others. "I think we've found some things so far that would place Society Leadership, but we might still run into Tseka. How do you propose we deal with her? Could we use the information in the journal in our favor, I wonder. Suppose that we meet Tseka, and she figures out that we're Pathfinder. What if we say we're here for Makino? We know what her plan is in that case, and we might use that to our advantage..."
She thinks for a moment. "Then there is the matter of what to do with Tseka, of course. Find and possibly arrest those responsible for the attack. What is Tseka was responsible? Could we arrest her? How do we get her out of here? Perhaps we'll cross that bridge when we get there..."
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"This cloak is enchanted - not sure how though. Anyone else?"
"Let me see, my lady", Rimble takes the cloak and analyse it.
"Well, it can improve the resistances of its wearer, like mine", he shows his cloak to the others. "Feel free to take it, if anyone need", the gnome offers it to them.
"This gonna be fun, Antoniollus!" - Antoniollus beats his wings and show his chest. - these were the only words spoken by Rimble, after heard Ashara's words.
The party sorts out the goods, while Xavian moves up the hall for a sneak and peek. This large chamber’s walls are covered maps, documents, notes and missives. Pins and daggers jut out of the maps in different spots. A raised stage takes up the southeast corner of the room, . Four pillars support its lofty ceiling, and lit torches line the walls. As Xavian peeks around the wall, he is easily seen by the two individuals on the stage. One is a human, dressed as a mage, and the other is a ratfolk female.
A haughty ratfolk speaks from a raised stage in the southeast corner of the room. “Welcome, Pathfinders. I can’t say I’m glad to see you. Are you more of Colson Maldris’s lackeys, here on another one of his murderous missions? Everyone’s heard about what you did to Ascalar Vruul. I assure you, no one here has bothered to blackmail that lout with evidence of his many indiscretions. Perhaps instead you are here to pledge your services to a far more lucrative organization? After all, you have shown some skill in locating this place.” She laughs. “It only took you, what, three years?”
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"Well met. As my friend pointed out, we are not pathfinders but just a group of entrepreneurs with a taste for the exotic... and for gold. And I must say we find your mention of a far more lucrative organization to be expecially interesting..." Ashara pauses before adding:"Sadly we also regret to inform you we were attacked on the way here and we were forced to defend ourselves. Sadly it didn't go too well for the other offending party. We hope that's no cause for the blood between us to get bad. Seriously... we just want to sell you stuff and make a profit, there's no reason for violence if we can all be friends. Rich friends I might add"
"Do not presume that I am a fool. I know that you are Pathfinders, not salesmen. So heres a deal for you. I give you Makino" she says with a gesture towards the mans standing beside her "and you go away. Lets let bygones be bygones."
The rat lady looks hard at Xavian and Aznive. "Confidence. As your friends stated, we are businessmen first and foremost. Take your traitor, and begone. Well, if you don't want him, then leave him be and then depart. It makes no difference to me. But you will leave."
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"Businessmen foremost. And plotters, second, along with attackers of the Grand Lodge. Right? Or would you claim that you had no involvement in that? Summoning an army through the Hao Jin Tapestry - Also doesn't ring any bells, does it?" Her accusing tone makes it clear that she doesn't really expect an honest answer, but she hopes that she just might goad the two Aspis into a confession.
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The party sorts out the goods, while Xavian moves up the hall for a sneak and peek. This large chamber’s walls are covered maps, documents, notes and missives. Pins and daggers jut out of the maps in different spots. A raised stage takes up the southeast corner of the room, . Four pillars support its lofty ceiling, and lit torches line the walls. As Xavian peeks around the wall, he is easily seen by the two individuals on the stage. One is a human, dressed as a mage, and the other is a ratfolk female.
A haughty ratfolk speaks from a raised stage in the southeast corner of the room. “Welcome, Pathfinders. I can’t say I’m glad to see you. Are you more of Colson Maldris’s lackeys, here on another one of his murderous missions? Everyone’s heard about what you did to Ascalar Vruul. I assure you, no one here has bothered to blackmail that lout with evidence of his many indiscretions. Perhaps instead you are here to pledge your services to a far more lucrative organization? After all, you have shown some skill in locating this place.” She laughs. “It only took you, what, three years?”
"Excuse me." Abaal says raising his hand and moving to the fore. "Do your organization offer benefits?"
The party moves around within the room, spreading out and getting ready for whatever may come while keeping up the conversation.
"Package?! HAHAHA No, I think that I won't come with you at all!!" the ratfolk woman on stage calls out. "I will kill you all, just like my agents did at your Grand Lodge! KILL THEM!!" She yells.
Aznive
Rimble
Abaal
Ashara
Nemesis
Scoundrels
Makino
False Tseka
Tseka
At these words, Two more ratfolk boil out from under the stage, and another comes out from the shadows behind a column near Aznive.
The scoundrels rush towards Abaal, while Makino sends a force missile at the warrior.
The Tseka on the stage jumps off, and rushes for Abaal as well, swarming with her kinfolk.
"Fools! You think you can arrest ME?!" This newcomer says, slashing at Aznive with her sword, but misses.
Bold May Post
Xavian
Scoundrels
~Red- swarmed
~Blue
Rimble
Makino
Aznive
Tseka (Blue)
False Tseka (Red)- swarmed
Ashara
Abaal- 4 dmg
Nemesis