[PFS] GM - Mark Garringer's 06-05 - Slave Ships of Absalom Table 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Zizazat

I'll gladly try and see if anyone is still alive to see if I could stabilize them.

It would have sufficed to knock her out, not split her in half. We can question her and bring her to justice in the city.

"My apologies Koemi. I'm afraid I'm not quite used to my giant sized strength!" Thadd attempts to extinguish the flames and perhaps save as much of he can of the papers as well.

Koemi is able to stabilize the captain and return her to consciousness, wearing her own manacles!

Malus pulls most of the papers from the brazier and tries to save what he can, but most of it is too far gone. Thaddaeus tries to help, his giant feet sending ash everywhere. Ozymandias comes over to try and help, and notices a tiny little scrap of paper gently floating down to the ground. Just a little burned bit, but there is still writing on it. The tired halfling snatches the paper of the air, and it bears a single legible word: Muhlia

Kyra approaches the captain and sits at her same level "Look, we just have some questions. Your men did not want to collaborate so we had to unleash all this, but maybe you are a bit more sage." The woman from the desert makes a pause looking deeply at the captain eyes. "This do not necessarily has to end bad for you. Just answer our questions and if your answers help us solve the mystery you can keep your ship and cargo, and proceed with your business. Your boss will never have word of what happened here today, in fact no one will know. Will you collaborate?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Whatever the woman answers, Kyra casts Zone of Truth over her before listening to her version of what happened. Will DC 16

Kyra waits for others to make questions, then starts to make her own questions.

Kyra laughs at the captain "So you think you are the cocky here?" Very calmly Kyra smiles at the woman. "I will not give you that pleasure. Just answer our questions. Or my friends will have to take them from your mind. "

Oz nudges Kyra. "Oi. You mind translating that tongue of yours?"

"She basically says she wants to suffer terrible pain and a long death while we get answers to our questions refusing a nice pact and getting mocked by his pirate mates by being discovered to a total fail of her duties and losing a worthy pirate ship to her organization, plus its cargo and crew." Kyra looks at the captain with desire to start the interrogation. "There are people here who can easy carry with that interrogation. I will not move a finger to avoid it."

Then Kyra starts automatically translating whatever the captain says.

Ozymandias looks blankly at his fellow Sarenrite. "Well, I suppose if need be, I could. I've done very similar work for the Aspis Consprtium when I was still a member, and unfortunately find it necessary to perform time to time in my work as a Lion..." He stops himself, remembering that he wasn't supposed to brag about being a member of such a secretive organization... That was going to be difficult. "Anyways, what questions do we actually need answered? Did you try the subtle approach? I'd like more information before I do something as extreme as what you are suggesting. Will this information save lives?"

Because if the answer to that question is no, then it is a no can do with the interrogation torture. A good character simply cannot do it, and a neutral one can only do it if it is for a truly good motivation (otherwise they will find themselves detecting as evil, very quickly, and will likely need an atonement no matter what the motivation.)

"I believe that there are local authorities that can take care of this situation, I imagine that Lady Darchana has impressive resources that can be applied to a dilemma such as this."

"If you don't want to ask questions, I will then." Kyra takes the woman by her face and forces her to look directly at her eyes "Do you know a Kelish slave by name of Milana who was recently sold as an slave in Absalom?"

I will pronounce exactly same Lady Silviana and Lady Darchana names

I believe you mean Atlag, the slave's name. No worries, lots of names were thrown around :)

The Captain looks into Kyra's eyes and says, "Yes. I know her."

"Do keep in mind that the longer that we tarry on this ship, the sooner those trollhounds will heal their wounds and risk attacking us or the rescued slaves here."

"I suggest that we head back to town while the going is good, as they say."

So, did you enchant her and use her as a scrying beacon? And how did you get that gnome into slavery?

"Whom has interest into Lady Silviana and Lady Darchana business?" Kyra waits for answer then asks "And why is such interest?"

To Malus "Do not get on panic Lord Malus, just coup-de-grace them with this brazier here. You can set the pilot to sail the ship to the docks if you want so. You might want to interrogate the slaves in the hold as well."

Kyra takes full attention again to the captain.

"I did not enchant the woman. The gnome was part of my manifest when leaving Okeno for Absalom." she says to Koemi.

"My employeer is interested in the Lady's business, but I do not know to what end." she replies to Kyra.

Thaddaeus and Iason head topside and convince Zigil that it is safe to come aboard and get the ship underway to the Docks.

Oxymandias will show the scrap of paper he anatched put of the air. "Who, or what, it this?"

"What is the name of your employer?" Kyra asks after Ozymandias question is answered.

"Swinging a brazier around like some barbarian? How crude."

Malus shakes his head sadly at the lack of imagination.

He decides instead to pass the time studying his spellbook in the comfort of the captain's nearby cot.

In response to Ozymandias' question the captain says, "That is a name."

To Kyra she closes her eyes, taking several deep breaths. "Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri. Now, please, Dawnflower, redeem me. I have aided you as best I can, at the cost of my life. Send me on to the grace of Sarenrae that She may forgive me."

"Give me all the information you can on that name."

Ozymandias shakes his head when she speaks to Kyra. "No, Sarenrae doesn't work in such a manner. I believe that if you truly wish to be redeemed, you can choose your own path. Look at me, I used to be an assassin for the Aspis Consortium. Now I work to dispense Sarenrae's justice. You too can choose such a path, if you are interested. I would be glad to guide you to the Temple and spend some time working with you after my current mission is over."

"If the name of Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri has no meaning for you, little one, then do not trouble yourself. One night you will go to sleep and when you awake, Pharasma will greet you. " the captain taunts Ozymandias.

Kyra looks at the rest of the party just in case someone wants to add a question.

"And so, is that name familiar to any of you?" asks Kyra while trying to remember herself.
K. local untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Iason makes a lazy way downstairs in time to catch most of the interrogation. He eyerolls slightly to himself, then snaps his fingers to catch his devil's attention.

"Throw the bodies of these... hounds overboard," he instructs his bodyguard. Etrigan briefly bares his teeth in a grin and scoops up the bodies of the dogs, scampering to go do so. Let them heal from that, Iason thinks.

"The man above decks has been stabilized as well," Iason informs the others as he walks forward, head tilted, to their prisoner.

GM Mark, OOCly I know exactly who Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri is, but I don't know if that meta-knowledge is fair to bring up. I'll make a KN check to see if Iason knows it ICly.

Kn Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Iason looks to the gnome, Rill, was it? "Suppose you tell us your side of things, as a fellow agent?" he murmurs to the gnome.

Iason, that would be enough to know who she in IC.

Rilla look at Iason and smiles, "Say, any of you know a Pathfinder named Sahar? Sahar Hasna? She's amazing! I mean, you guys are amazing too, but Sahar? She on, like, a whole other level! Always talking to that damn fox of hers. She's a good Keleshite girl from the deserts of Qadira, always wears that cover over her face. Wha'd she call it? Nakib, nabib, niqab! She told me she fought a dragon under Absalom once, in the sewers!"

Rilla bounces around excitedly, "Anyway, she was part of my last assignment. We got separated, and I got...umm, well. here. I just wondered if any of you knew her, or ran into her at the Grand Lodge maybe. So, before I ended up on this tub I was in the Okeno slave markets on Stonespire Island. A few different times I was taken from the market to a warehouse and a heavily veiled humanoid woman, who definitely wasn't Sahar, was really mean to me. Two of those times she even cut me and collected the blood in a fancy looking bowl!"

The harbor pilot, Zigil, dutifully navigates the ship through the Ship Graveyard safely to the docks, where city officials take custody of the vessel. Lady Darchana herself is present and authorizes payment of the bounty. She suggests that she will accompany you to the Grand Lodge so that information can be shared and reports given in a 'secure location.'

Everyone arrives in Skyreach at Venture-Captain Valsin's office, and despite the late hour he is there waiting. He stands as you enter, bowing to Lady Darchana. "My lady, you grace me with your presence again. I believe my team has satisfactory news to report to you." He gives a few of you a meaningful glance, as if to say you better.

Rilla cannot contain herself or be bothered with decorum, she rushes forward and hugs the Venture-Captain. "Venture-Captain Valsin, thank you, thank you, thank you! I am honored you sent these fine Pathfinders to rescue me! I never knew you cared!"

Venture-Captain Vilsin accepts the hug, but rolls his eyes at the gnome's exuberance. "Welcome back to the Grand Lodge Rilla" he manages. Looking at the rest of you he says, "Well? Report!"

Before we enter Skyreach, Oz would like to pull Darchana aside, where we could speak in private. He slips into his cloak and pulls out the document that she sent him to destroy. He opens it up so that she could see it. "I just thought you ought to know that I was able to do what you asked. If you want the document for yourself, you can take it, however, if you truly want it destroyed, consider it done." If she expresses a wish for it to be destroyed, Oz will cast spark and let it go up in flames.

He will let the others deal with the Venture Captain ^_^.

Kyra takes a step ahead, kneels in front of the Venture-Captain and starts reporting. "Dear Balshin, we tracked the slave origin to a pirate ship employed at the name of Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri. We captured the captain, got the slaves cargo and docked savely the ship. Rima here explained how they were geting the blood from the slaves. This can be used as material component for scrying spells as for our research. We got a list of posibly affected slaves, but this plot can be affecting most of Absalon families at this point." Kyra makes a pause then adds less proud "We were not able to discover what was the interest in Lady Darchana. For what we know it might be they were just testing their system and they did not really know where the slave was gonna end up serving."

She then raises her look at the Venture-Captain. "We will see your orders done if you want us to follow that clue. We are up to board immediately if needed or go warn all people with slaves in the list. Slaves in Absalom are not save anymore."

Blink blink, stuff moves fast on me.

In retconlandia:

As soon as he hears the name spilled from the captain's list, Iason's brows draw together sharply. "Pasha Muhlia al-Jakri?" he echoes in mild startlement. "What, the former head of the Qadiran contingent of Pathfinders... and who resigned after that... unpleasant assassination business? This goes deep, my colleagues... Ambrus Valsin will want to know of this."

He listens to Rilla with a brow arched, but the last clue falls into place from the gnome's yammering. The blood.... how... how suitably Chelish, he thinks with some amusement.

Leaving the freeing of slaves to those who have such high and lofty ambitions, Iason returns to the deck. Mostly to make sure Etrigan isn't eating the dogs.

***

Etrigan is nowhere in evidence when Iason joins the others in Ambrus Valsin's office. He listens gravely to the report given by Kyra.

"It is as Kyra says, Venture Captain. I should think it is very troubling that a former faction head is involved in this business: with her knowledge and likely network of existing spies, this addition of slave-scrying is but another way for that formidable woman to learn the secrets of this city, and put those to work in the national interests of Qadira... and quite possibly ahead of the Society's. If there is more we can do to be of assistance, I am, of course, at your service."

"Venture-Captain...I am honored to have worked alongside my new found companions. I fear my effectiveness was impeded by circumstances beyond my control, not the least of which was a poorly built ship. However I would treasure the opportunity redeem myself by seeing this situation through to the end if these are to be your orders."

All the while, Ozy is mumbling to himself, just like he was when he first stepped into this office. "Damned pirates... Chelaxians weren't so bad after all... Pay that slaver a visit after this... Where is Lady Morilla?" Those of you who see this might hear grudging bits of praise, concerning this team that's as formed.

Venture-Captain Valis nods his head as Kyra recounts the day's adventure, it is the closest thing to pride you've ever seen on this man's face. A look of pure surprise comes over his face at the mention of the name Muhlia.

"You there, Captain Wardak, you work for Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri?" the Venture-Captain demands.

The captain just scowls at him, unspeaking.

Lady Darchana arches an eyebrow and looks at Valsin. "It's worse than I feared. Guards!" she calls out into the hall and two powerfully built women dressed in scale mail enter and secure the captain. "You know where to take her."

Turning back to the Pathfinders, "It seems this may become an all too often greeting for awhile." She begins casting a spell* and then glances around the room carefully.

"Pathfinders, you have done a great service to Absalom today. The full extent, understandably, may never be widely known or recognized by the sleeping masses, but know that the Pathfinder Society can count on me as a friend and ally, and I hope that I may call upon you again in the future should the need arise." she says, satisfied with her magic.

Rilla recounts what she can to Venture-Captain Valsin about her time spent in the Okeno slave markets on Stonespire Island, confirming several interactions with a heavily veiled humanoid woman who forcibly took blood samples on two occasions. Finally Rilla asks, "What of Sahar? The others?"

Venture-Captain Valsin closes his eyes and slowly shakes his head. "No contact," is all he says on the matter.

Fin