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Pinball looks around the bustle of the bazaar, ill-at-ease with her holy symbol of Irori well hidden away. Still, she pastes a smile on her face a approaches the same Osiriani man.
"It is quite frustrating. What hoops exactly are they trying to make you jump through? We've heard they're real sticklers..." she coaxes.
The Osirian man smiles. "I am Markah ibn Alsan, humble merchant and professional waiter-in-lines, it would seem. These Chelish, with their rules and forms and paperwork! Ah! In a civilized country, a few bribes make all this go away, but if you try to bribe them here," He makes a sharp gesture across his throat, "Or worse, prison!"
Listening to the people standing around, Pinball hears a few interesting tidbits.
“Recently they’ve been cracking down on any shady business, so everyone needs a travel permit to leave the city. I hear the inspections of coming and going cargo are pretty thorough as well. Good luck at the magistrate’s office—the lines are bound to be as long as the Arch.”
A bored caravan guard provides information about the archaeological expedition. “They had plenty of scholars and soldiers as well. The number of tools and supplies they were willing to lug across the desert surprised me. Our caravan shared the road with them for a while, but they kept mostly to themselves.”
After a few hours of waiting in the slow-moving line, you finally reach the front. Scores of applicants hoping to procure official travel permits fill the bulky sandstone building, and clerks steadily work their way up and down the lines to identify each applicant and inquire about their business. Once a clerk confirms your authorization from the Athenaeum, she fetches a letter, lowers her voice, and tells you, “Magistrate Mavius Giovenci wants to handle this matter in person. This is an invitation to attend an evening function at his estate.” She forces a smile and then turns her attention to the next group in line. As promised, the letter requests that you join the magistrate at sundown for a fancy meal.
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Pinball listens with interest and sympathetic nods to all she hears in the market, and relays it to the others.
She blinks rapidly at their... dinner invitation, and looks quizzically at the others before scanning the invitation.
"Uh... well this is... really something, isn't it," she says uncertainly, quietly, to the group. "I'm going to need some new clothes..."
"Maybe we can find out a bit more about this Mavius? Does anyone else know anything about him? Manius...?"
The Osirian man smiles grimly. "You have not heard of Chelish prisons? Hell is preferable."
Pinball asks around and is able to discover the following about Mavius:
Mavius is a cousin of the lord-mayor of Khari. The magistrate takes advantage of his station to enjoy all the pleasures the city has to offer, therefore his palanquin is a regular sight on the street as Mavius travels between the mansion and several high-end establishments and the opera.
The lord-mayor, Marsiol Giovenci, isn’t too fond of his cousin. He secured the post of magistrate for Mavius as a favor to Mavius’s father, yet Marsiol feels that his cousin doesn’t live up to the city’s standards. The lordmayor is concerned that Mavius might make him regret the favor by becoming entangled in some scandal.
Mavius has been involved in some dubious dealings with shady individuals tied to the Aspis Consortium, including the halfling, Tamrin Credence. You learned during yout previous investigation in Corentyn that Tamrin had also been involved with Zarta Dralneen. You have enough evidence to let you leverage this information to force the magistrate to cooperate—even become a long-term asset for future endeavors—though actually using information against a Chelish noble would be risky at best.
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Pinball relates everything she's been able to discover from the market gossip. "...so we can probably bring that knowledge to bear," she sighs, having no fondness for the idea of blackmailing a man into cooperation, even a Chelish magistrate cooperating with the Aspis. This is not the path Irori would be best pleased to see her walking, but...
Pinball rubs at her forehead. "...well, maybe he'll listen to reason first, but if not, we'll go ahead with that knowledge, I suppose. I'll go ahead and finish getting dressed for the dinner. I hope they have a vegetarian option," she says with the depressed resignation that she thinks it's as likely to be vegetarian food as it is for Mavius to cooperate without threats. Bah, Chelish!
The magistrate’s mansion is of modest size but well-maintained. Upon receiving the invitation, a halfling servant guides everyone through an iron gate with flowery designs onto a terrace overlooking the bay near the Arch of Aroden. A ring of sitting pillows and several water pipes furnish the terrace. At the end of the hall sits a handsome, dark-haired man with an easy smile, though years of indulgent living seem to have taken their toll on his physique. The air is humid as thundering clouds gather far from the shore.
Mavius beckons everyone to sit down, “My dear guests, please relax and enjoy yourselves. There are plenty of local delicacies, and the wine is quite exquisite. I’m sure you’re eager to get down to business, yet there’ll be time for that later.”
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The dictates of the Iroran faith favor a plain and modest dress, but on the other hand, she imagines Chelish style is to dress up a bit. Of course, she's also trying not to broadcast her faith, in Rahadoum-- even Chelish-held Rahadoum.
She settles on a flowing blue cotton robe with very broad sleeves, belted with a sash of a darker blue, indigo silk, that gets wrapped over and around in a complicated pattern. Everything is edged and accented with bits of silvery-white silk, and she has purchased tasteful silver jewelry set with little sapphires and larger pieces of lapis lazuli.
She sighs a little at Theleb's distinctly barbarous look, but understands it is as much his culture as her own garb is hers.
She bows deeply to the magistrate, then straightens with a smile. "Of course we shouldn't rush such things. We would be happy to relax and enjoy your hospitality, the touch of civilization you've brought here, Magistrate. Your house is really quite lovely. Pinzell Doy, at your service. My colleagues are likewise thankful. Theleb Ka'arna," she gestures at the half-orc, "is an expert on certain atavistic tribes, and has embraced their particular style of finery as a part of his study..."
Pinball has a seat, cross-legged on a cushion, with a small glass of wine.
Mavius, his thick jowls bouncing, smiles and nods. "Excellent. Excellent! It's so nice to meet new people! Please, eat!" His meal proves to be sumptuous and tasty and Mavius is no stranger to a gluttonous appetite.
Once the meal is windind down, the magistrate orders a servant to bring out an ornate board with several dozen ivory pieces, “Would anyone care for a friendly game of Siege—unless one of you can entertain us with some Chelish opera? Hah!”
"A game of strategy! You must surround your opponent without allowing your opponent to surround you! A game of strategy, of tactics and of war."
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Manius takes a page out of the rest of the party's playbook and leaves his armor and weapons stored somewhere save and shows up.
At hearing that there are many local delicacies he introduces himself to the host along with the rest of the party before wandering of to sample some of them that draw his attention.
Mavius claps his hand and motions to the board, beginning the game.
As the game begins, Mavius gestures to the rest of you. “Tell me about this expedition you are embarking upon. I have heard a little about it here and there—enough to get me intrigued. I’d love to know more.”
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With a troublesome look on his face Garret starts the game. It is immediately clear that his game is indeed not the strongest, although he tries several ploys that are thwarted by Mavius. In the end Garret looses the game.
The things I need to do for the society...
"I will leave the talking to my companions as I need the attention at the game. You are a strong opponent my lord."
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Pinball nods at Manius's explanation, watching Garret lose the game to the magistrate.
"Imagine if proof of Cheliax's claim is discovered here, through the Taldor connection," she says. "Imagine what that would mean for the local magistrate who enabled that to happen, even. I'm certain that certain people back in Cheliax would look favorably upon that sort of management," she says with determined brightness.
Mavius claps his hand as Garret gives him a close game but 'loses' at the pivotal moment. "Excellent! Excellent! A great game and a great cause. I have heard some wild tales about the exploits of Pathfinders. I’d like to hear more of your adventures, or perhaps you’d like to showcase your considerable skills!”
Mavius lets out a squeal of delight as the bodyguard is dropped to the ground. "Excellent! I cannot wait to hear how your expedition will turn out, so I will help you get there quicker. I will expedite your permit and waive the permitting fees; you may leave upon the morning tide! Good luck, Pathfinders! May the god smile upon your quest!" Mavius claps and a clerk steps from an alcove and nods, heading off to fetch the paperwork. Your voyage is begun!
You set sail at dawn. After a long day at sea, you approach your destination. The last rays of the setting sun light up a bluff to the southeast that towers over the desert. Ruined buildings and leaning towers jut up from the plateau on its top as ominous clouds loom to the south of Ibhir—a sandstorm roars across the desert toward the ruins.
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Garret hurries his pony towards the cliff, but the beast's small legs are no match for the storm. At the base of the climb the halfling dismounts, leading his animal up by the reigns. The lithe monk easily skips over and between the stones that would make an ascend by horse or pony quite difficult. Finally at the top he waits for a second and points to a spot in the sandstorm "There it is! Follow me!"
The storm is raging as you stagger into the Chelish camp. Sand gusts into the building through the open door to the west and the southwest corner of the canvas roof, where the broad tarpaulin has broken free at one end. The canvas strains violently in the wind as the rest of the bindings begin to pull loose. Only half of the building’s original floor still exists to the south. A ladder descends ten feet to a ledge below, and another ladder descends further into a jagged crack in the ground. A campsite sprawls across both ledges, and several bloodied corpses are scattered throughout.
The canvas roof is threatening to pull away, which would expose you (and the site) to the harsh desert winds. If you wish to secure it down, I need a Climb check, followed by a STrength check to secure it!
The corpses appear to be those of native workmen. They seem to have been killed with ragged blades.
Between Blanmiuex and Pinball, the tarp gets pulled down and retied, tighter than before. Outside the storm howls, but in here... in here is safe.
At least until the skeletons slide from the shadows, ancient weapons in hand.
Init:
Garret and Theleb!
Skeletons!
Pinball, Blanmieux and Manius!
Garret trips the skeleton nearest him and it falls to the ground, but his stomp is thwarted when it deftly dodges him!
Theleb calls upon the spirits and a blast of positive energy flows from him!
The blast seems to catch the skeletons, but doesn't hurt them as much as he would wish.
HP 12/17
HP 12/17
HP 12/17
The red skeleton stands! Attack of opportunity from Garret! The other attacks Garret, moving with military precision! for damage!
for an additional damage!
The third skeleton moves over to the ledge and tries to climb! It fails to catch a break and lurks at the bottom of the cliff.