|
"I did not ask you to participate in anything illegal, I simply asked you to look at the contract and find a way out of it. I personally do not like the idea of forging the document.. if we can find another way, you would be the one to do so."
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
"Awen never spoke about doing anything illegal or unlawful. He came to your defense when Malini was alienated and asking you to leave. He did suggest you could find nuances in the original contract that could be exploited for her benefit. Vassago suggested the forgery and the destruction of the original. Fendel then volunteered the information that he could recreate the document but only as an alternative to you finding a way out of said original contract."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Vagassi's devilish personality can't help but titter out loud, though Malani looks a little abashed.
|
|
Awen snorts at the possible double meaning of Fendels words.. but keeps his comments to himself for the time being. He does however, offer one parting shot at the Teifling.
"For now, Yes. Until we see that once again others must step in to "assist" you." His smile may or may not have the corner of a lip turned up..
|
Milton, having reviewed the contract for the imp's services relates to the Pathfinders, "I have good news and bad news for you. In which order would you like them?"
|
|
Sorry guys.. Awen couldn't help himself!!!
"To meet the layered expectations for this task we should step away from here to effectively plan." Sai whispers to Milton. She knows the keen hearing of the nearby detective will also easily catch her whispered words as will his keen mind catch their meaning.
Qalkami wants her imp back, but she wants it done quietly. We should talk elsewhere to avoid an emotional response from Malini and Vassago.
She then moves near Awen and touches his arm without looking at him, moving it slightly towards the door.
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
Awen catches Sai's meaning, and turns to Malini. "It is unbecoming of us to argue our own differences in front of you.. and we need some time to work out a plan. If you are willing, please allow us to take this contract with us to see if we can reproduce it or find a loophole. There are many intelligent and skilled individuals we may be able to see for help. However, we have neither the skills nor the materials to reproduce it here and now."
|
|
The two will not risk having the contract stolen, but are willing to let one of you upstairs to take a look at it.
Vassago has survived centuries of service to Qalkami and her ancestors following his indefinite assignment to them by a barbed devil named Lorypheal. At first Vassago served both the efreet and the devil loyally, doing the former’s bidding while performing espionage for the latter. Once it became clear that his service would never result in freedom or promotion, the imp’s efforts flagged, and the efreet began leasing him to others as currency.
|
|
Approaching the married couple, "Qalqami wants us to 'reclaim Vassago' and have the imp returned to her. I don't have any way to verify the identity of any one imp from another. For example, I only have your word this imp is Vassago. If an imp I speak with responds to that particular name, I could only surmise that it is the imp I am looking for. Should we happen to return in a few hours time and take an imp called 'Vassago' from this location and returned it to her, that may be seen as fulfilling our obligation. I don't suppose your husband knows any imps that we can return to Qalqami? I would have no way to know if it was indeed an impostor attempting an elaborate ruse in order to spy on Qalqami and provide information to allies or enemies for a price? I am simply considering these possibilities aloud mind you."
|
|
"It occurred to me that the forgery needn't necessarily be the contract. Giving her a forgery that we created puts the responsibility directly to us. It is doubtful anything we fabricate would stand up to close scrutiny, and any divination magic would reveal the architects and author. A fraudulent imp could possibly be an unexpected solution. If nothing else, I have provided a few hours with which to contemplate our next course of action; away from an area most likely to use magical sensors to overhear any solutions we concoct that may prove to be counter to the wedded couple's best interest."
"I will create the contract whist we weigh other potential considerations."
|
|
"Who cares about their best interest? If that imp is rightfully Qalkami's then we needs only return it, and be done with it. This isn't one of those silly Taldane morality plays that the children dream about. There is a contract here, several in fact, and the only ones that matter, are the one binding that imp, and the one we have with Qalkami. One of you should sneak in and acquire the imp's service contract. We can give it to Qalkami and be done with this."
If you manage to get the imp alone you can get a little more information. It is nothing he will speak of within hearing of his wife.
The plan is to get Vagassi and take him back to Qalqami, correct? How or what is the plan for the "get Vagasso" part?
Whether you stepped outside or went all the way back to the embassy, I assumed you found a quiet place to talk. I do not think anyone is back at the shop at this point though. We can be, there is nothing about time in the assignments.
You promised to help them, so asking to talk with him would be suspicious at this point FWIW.
The plan is to get Vagassi and take him back to Qalqami, correct? How or what is the plan for the "get Vagasso" part?
Sneak-in and kidnap the imp.
After hours I will need 1 Stealth check and 1 Climb check to get in through an upstairs window from everyone participating in the attempt. I will also need one Disable Device.
Or
Should you want to attempt to sneak in through the shop (after hours) I will need 2 Disable Devices and, from everyone, 1 Stealth.
Forge a contract.
This important: the party can only attempt each check once in creating the fake, and they must succeed at X checks before failing Y or else they ruin the special parchment and ink. So choose who wants to make which check and in which order, if any. Another attempt can be made, but will require a side-quest of sorts.
Forge a contract take duex.
Grab the imp.
|
|
"Fendel, to make sure we accomplish this task, we have chosen one plan of action. You will sneak in and capture the imp and retrieve the contract since you were allowed upstairs to see it and where it was kept. We have gone over and over various plans, and while all have valid strengths, this was what the majority voted on. Thank you for undertaking this for the group. We will do our best to cover your efforts from our end."
|
|
Adeah stays downstairs with Nivik, having been outvoted on how to proceed, and lacking the skillset to simply do it her way anyway. "Or maybe something that can improve this thing," she says to Malini, patting her musket.
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
Awen stays downstairs, engaging Melani in conversation. Although I don't agree, this is an imp we are talking about.. he thinks, trying to mollify himself and rationalize what he is taking part in. He keeps close to Sai, while keeping an eye on the constructs, hoping Fendel can pull this off, but knowing the man far outclasses himself in the needed skills.
.
A comfortable brown couch, several chairs, and two tables furnish this quaint living area. Open doors on either side lead to bedchambers and a small study. Vassago is here.
Despite what other players have posted, they did not show anyone where the contract was hidden, so you will have to find that as well. Please give me a Perception check in each of the 4 rooms you would like to search, accompanied by a Stealth check. The longer you search, the more bonuses they will get to their perception checks, so let me know the order of the areas you search.
|
|
Fendel gathers up the forgery and prepares to head into the magic shop to make the switch. Before heading in, he removes a flask from his back and drinks it down. "I believe I can find the real contract, and make the switch. I will then convince Vassago that I will destroy the original, which will be the forgery, and that he should return with us to find any back-up copies his Mistress has prepared. If all goes well, the imp should come of his own volition with no need for violence. Alright Milton, I'm ready for your invisibility spell."
NE chamber
SE chamber
Fendel sneaks past the gaurdians, and the Mephit while Nivik peruses the scrolls of fly Malani offers. The imp is upstairs, but the invisible investigator slips by him and searches first one room, then another before uncovering Vassago's contract hidden in a false back of a a desk drawer. He pulls it out and then replaces it with the forgery before heading downstairs and outside.
The married couple rejoin the pathfinders when Fendal 'arrives' with the forgery. Malini casts a spell and studies it for a while. "Yes I believe this will do just nicely," she says obviously impressed. "I can't tell it form the real thing myself. It should work to fool Qalqami."
Vassago goes upstairs to retrieve the real contract. "Now to destroy this one. I know it likely warn Qalqami, as the owner of the contract, if it is tampered with." Despite Milton's grumbling, she looks at the wizard and asks him what he can offer to prevent this from happening.
A mage can suppress this alarm for 1d4 rounds by targeting the contract with dispel magic, during which time the Pathfinders can destroy it without repercussions. Any effects that block divination, such as targeting the contract with obscure object or non-detection, also keep Qalkami ignorant of their tinkering.
However, as this is Fendel's forgery and not the original, you only have to make it look good to fool Malini. Feel free to use a scroll from her shelf (with a random admixture of ingredients from her stores for effect). Then make a Bluff check (using your Spellcraft if you prefer). Once that is fine, your corrosive touch should destroy the actual paper. (which I *ahem* notice you have prepared :)
|
|
South East Chamber Stealth: 1d20 + 17 + 20 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 17 + 20 + (2) = 40
SE chamber Perception: 1d20 + 14 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 14 + 7 = 39
****************************************************
"Nivik specializes in the art of Pyromancy. It allows him to manipulate and utilize flames in unique ways. Not the least of which is to temporarily 'burn off' an arcane aura. A strong enough enchantment will regenerate after a time, but Qalqami should remain unaware this document has been destroyed. Vassago can now search for duplicates of the contract to his heart's content."
|
|
Yes, I believe this is to be the case. I'll need a number of items from the shop to perform the correct effect. Nivik will go and collect a scroll and a number of other things from the shelves. You may want to step back. I'm a mage that destroys things, not a cleric that heals people.
Nivik will take the ingredients he has selected and proceeds with the first part of the task at hand.
Alright then, I believe that should do well. Now to simply destroy the paper. Nivik will cast Corrosive Touch from his spellbook and complete the task.
As the paper turns to dust, the ink turning into a dark red smoke that sizzles, the mephit and the imp almost cheer at their luck. "Well done! Thank you Master Nivik," Malini says. Repeteadly.
They say their goodbyes, knowing it will not be long now before they can be together without any interference from the efreet. Vagasso promises to return after he is sure all the other copies of the contract have been located. He happily allows the Pathfinders to lead him back to Qalqami's.
Along the way he opens up to the party answering Awen's questions and giving them a tour of what he knows about the city of Zjarra. It turns out he knows very little of the city however, except a few locations that once belonged to an enemy of Qalkami's or, more often, property ceded to their enemies from her ancestors.
The imp has survived centuries of service to Qalkami and her ancestors following his indefinite assignment to them by a barbed devil named Lorypheal. At first, says Vassago, "I served both the efreet and the devil loyally, doing the former’s bidding while performing espionage for the latter." Once it became clear that his service would never result in freedom or promotion, the imp’s efforts flagged, and the efreet began leasing him to others as currency. Malini took a liking to him that gradually became deeper affection. As a devil, Vassago has been able to reciprocate the mephit’s feelings outwardly yet, "I still find the concept of romantic love rather alien." Instead, he has a deep (perhaps affectionate) appreciation for Malini rooted in her sheltering him from abusive masters. Since they’ve both found fulfillment in the partnership, Vassago has chosen not to share his true feelings.
Qalkami graciously accepts the imp back and releases you to finish the third task.
Soon the Pathfinders find themselves outside a rare thing in the cit y: an aquatic dwelling. This residence comprises a trio of interlocking brass domes, its front entrance flanked by a pair of decorative waterfalls that gush down the sides. Several skylights ring the top of the building, and the entire structure rises from the middle of a large pond crossed by a wooden bridge.
|
|
Awen is slightly mollified by the revelations the imp shares with him during the trip back to Qalqami. He feels bad for the woman.. once for the lie and the sadness that he knows will come of this, but second for the obvious deceit of this creature. He feels his hatred of devil-kin flame just a bit deeper. After all the agonizing and the time spent trying to help you, you little ^(*&!!! he seethes to himself. Once he is happily rid of the creature, he follows with the group to the next objective of the day.
Approaching the bridge he peers carefully around, trying to gauge this newest challenge.
|
|
While Adeah is happy to have played her part (however small) in securing the couple's future, she feels an instinctive revulsion toward Vassago as he travels with them. Was it something about him, or just her angelic heritage recoiling at being in close quarters with an ancestral enemy? She can't be sure.
"Huh," she says, looking up at the waterfalls. "Didn't think I'd see one of these in here."
-Posted with Wayfinder