By invitation only...game to begin shortly.
The Venture Captain for the Pathfinder Society Grand Lodge, Ambrus Valsin stride in the door. He is a no nonsense, tough son of a ... gun, and he says, "Gather Round here. I am only going to say this once." Ambrus Valsin steps into the floorspace in front of you all, as you all assemble.
“All right, Pathfinders! Listen up. I know you are new recruits eager to make names for yourselves in the organization, but first we need to make sure you are up to snuff and won’t get yourself killed out there. I have a number of small assignments for you and your team, and it would be best if you could finish them before the day’s end.
“Every day we get some doe-eyed hopeful or some sniveling bootlicker willing to do anything to join up with the Pathfinders. Most of them are good kids, but not all of them have the salt to make it in a world like this. It’s rough out there and I’m not just talking about the ruins, tombs, and wilderness Pathfinders find themselves in on missions. We’ve got people who look down their noses at us, folks who think we squander our resources, and agents who want to take everything we have collected.
"This wealth of knowledge and these items of lore make us the most powerful organization on the planet. That said, since we are fractured and widespread, it’s difficult for that power to light on anything for too long. For every friend of the Society, there are two enemies. "
“Your first mission, to test your mettle and loyalties, sends you to meet a few people important to the Society living here in Absalom. These are other venture-captains or close allies of our organization, so follow their orders as you would mine. I’ve prepared a list of things I or they want you to do. They’re not arranged in any particular order of importance, but I want them all completed as quickly as possible. Only report to me once you complete them all. Included in the envelope you hold in your hands is the list, complete with the name of your contact, and directions to the to the meeting location.”
He hands you a list of assignments before asking "Any questions?" The impatient look on his face leads you to believe that the correct answer is no.
- A man named Guaril Karela runs a curio shop in the Docks called the Pickled Imp. Go to him and fill his request as a favor to the Society. I believe it has something to do with a set of rare books.
- Ollysta Zadrian requested aid and is expecting you at the Temple of the Shining Star in the Ascendant Court. She needs someone to deliver a parcel of medicine and curatives to a needy orphanage and verify the character of the recipient.
- Visit the offices of Osirian nobleman Dremdhet Salhar in the Wise Quarter. The Pathfinder Society needs to obtain permission to delve the Salhar ancestral vaults beneath Sothis. He has made a verbal agreement, and your visit makes it official. You will receive an official charter and detailed maps. Do not embarrass the Society in this matter.
- Chelish Paracountess Zarta Dralneen possesses an item loaned from the Vaults. Meet with her in her estate in the Ivy District and retrieve the item in her possession.
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The elf in shades of green and brown waits his turn to speak after Durothil's query is answered. A large curved blade is sheathed across his back, alongside a bow and quivers. Speaking in a soft tone that might make those without elvish hearing strain to understand, Bregolas states that, "The list does not specify the nature of the item to be retrieved from the Paracountess..." He awaits clarification from the Venture Captain.
"The Paracountess will know the item in question. As for honorifics? And anything else for that matter...just do your best, remember your training and don't bloody embarrass me." With that the Venture Captain leaves the room with a polite huff.
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The bald human was quiet, letting the others do the question asking. He wasn't nearly as heavily armed as the others in the group, no huge swords or massive axes. He maintained a quiet confidence, and nodded at the others. "Im Fahd. Let's go get some books then," he smiles as he preapres to complete yet another mission for the Society.
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Bregolas raises an eyebrow at the Venture Captain's hasty exit. Humans...
He nods in agreement with taking on the book quest first.
A distant look of longing comes over the ranger's gaze as he replies to his fellow elven warrior, "أيضاالتقى Durothil.فمن الصعب أن لا يكون بين البشر خارج حدود وطننا الخضرة."
The Pickled Imp
This creepy shop contains myriad odds and ends, most bereft of any discernible use. A number of malformed creatures and creature parts bob in jars on a long, prominent shelf, a tiny fetal devil centered in this macabre lineup. The shopkeeper, a greasy-haired Varisian with a thin mustache, shouts from behind the cluttered counter:
“Ah yes, I see the Pathfinders have arrived. I’m glad Ambrus was able to lend a few of his new recruits to help me. Please come in and let me tell you what I need.” Looking around as if to be absolutely certain no customers are browsing the aisles of knock-off Thuvian burial urns or supposed Azlanti porcelain, he begins again.
“Well met. I am Guaril Karela. A friend of mine has a warehouse near here and he received a parcel on behalf of me and some of my associates, but there’s a problem. See, Master Gelbane had to leave town in a hurry and our shipment is still waiting at his warehouse. Rumor is he ended up in trouble with the law and the place was seized. I heard tell from someone down at the docks that some creep was snooping around his warehouse just the other night, so I want to make sure nothing of mine was taken. He keeps all kinds of things, from beer to nails, in that old pelican, but every now and then he stores something really special. This is one of those cases."
“There’s a big crate marked with three crows arranged in a triangle. Inside that crate is a smaller container with a few books and papers in it. That’s the only parcel I’m interested in, and as far as I’m concerned, you can help yourself to the rest of the crate. Honestly, anything else you want in the place too. I’m sure the once things get sorted out, the city will seize most everything else anyway."
“My associates and I often work with the Pathfinders when it comes to special relics and documents, getting them in and out of ports and across borders where the authorities ask too many questions. Most people don’t realize what they have and frankly many don’t deserve to have it, so sometimes we help take the goods off their hands. If things work out well and you get this done, I’d be glad to talk with you more and help you out with any future endeavors, as long as you help me out too. I’m good at returning favors, trust me.”
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"I can find box with three crows."
Krux holds up four fingers for a few seconds and then shakes his head moving the fourth finger to his palm.
"Your shop smells funny."
He holds up the bottled devil to the light and pokes the jar twice to examine it.
"Who would want to buy this?"
He will loiter until his companions are ready to make the trip to the warehouse.
"Here...let me give you directions." Guaril draws you a surprising well detailed map. "The sooner the better...the area around the warehouse should be abandoned enough so that you won't draw too much unwanted notice."
The Pier
Perched on the end of a long pier fifteen feet above the water, the warehouse appears to struggle against its own roof, threatening to sag into the bay below. No light shines from the building’s windows and only the movement of gulls and pelicans stirs the scene.
The building looks abandoned and in disrepair. The windows are dark and dirty and provide no view into the structure’s interior. A small boat bobs in the water below, tethered to the pier by a stout, salt-crusted rope. The warehouse’s heavy wooden front door is locked and the loading door seems to be barred from the inside.
A hidden key sits sandwiched between two rickety slats on the building near the door frame.
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The elven scout raises an eyebrow at the sight of the jarred devil fetus Krux holds up. He silently listens to Guaril's story. As the decision is made to approach now, he silently nods his agreement, heading off with the party... glad to be away from the creepy shop.
While the humans enact a brute force method of entry, Bregolas shudders then sighs at the noisy racket that would surely attract the attention of a hundred elvish guards from a mile around back in Fierani Forest.
His thoughts then stray back to the scenario before him. After searching the immediate area of the front door for a spare key in vain, the ranger then wonders about the boat below, and of reaching the warehouse's rooftop.
Krux decides that stealth is for the weak and breaks his way in, considerately covering up the broken glass so that no one cuts themselves on the way through.
Darkness fills the warehouse, the ambient light from outside blocked by a filthy, oily film on the structure’s few windows. Darting illumination comes from light reflecting off the water through a splintered hole in the floor. Throughout the warehouse, crates, boxes, and barrels lean against each other in vaguely sorted stacks. A lingering smell indicates some of the contents are certainly spoiled.
Perched in the middle of the hole, teetering on split planks, sits a large crate stamped with three crows arranged in a triangle. This is the parcel you are looking for. Handholds cut into the stout wooden crate ring the rim. Other barrels, boxes, and crates sit stacked along the walls of the warehouse. Just inside the door sits a handful of crates and kegs of beer. Most of these smaller crates and barrels contain foodstuffs in various states of freshness. Some crates reek of rot. Stacks of simple coffins sit against the east wall. The rest of the crates stacked along the north and south walls contain simple sundries including, but not limited to beer, blocks of clay, coffee, coils of rope, dried fish, lead ingots nails, nets, raw cotton, rough wool, spare sails, timber planks, various pulleys and tools, and cheap weapons.
A crane, used for loading and unloading boats, clings to a rail running the length of the warehouse, hanging 5 feet below the high ceiling, and can slide out to extend past the loading doors along the west wall. You think that you can use ropes and nets from the warehouse’s crates to rig the crane and snatch up the crate, but someone must venture out onto the teetering beams to tie the knots and secure the crate to the harness.
The edges of the hole are dangerous and anyone stepping into one of the squares could risk collapsing the floor further—and spilling the crate into the water and rendering its contents invaluable.
As the group contemplates their next move three hungry dire rats are awakened from their slumber by the commotion and gnash their teeth at the site of the party. Clearly hungry they hope to make many a meal from you for weeks to come.
Round 1
Rats
Durothil
Fahd
Bregolas
Krux
The move in on the party…two get close enough to attack and catch our adventurers flat footed! Krux is bitten but manages swat the vermin off before it can transmit its gross, rat disease.
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Bregolas nods in agreement about the boat plan. Planning ahead for their next favor, Bregolas notes the abandoned dried fish which he now smells for edibleness. "The orphans may need more food, as well as their curatives..."
Stopping mid-sentence, the ranger's ears and eyes suddenly perk up. He draws his curved sword as he hones in on the location of the rats going for the simple human. He swiftly moves in, gracefully slashing the nearest one in two.
With the rats dispatched the group is able to return to the task of securing the crate. Durothil maneuvers the boat beneath the hole in the floor and, with some trial and error, the rest of the party manages to utilize the ropes and crane to lower the crate into the boat.
The rescued crate holds a smaller mahogany box inside, which contains five books and a few loose sheets of paper in a leather folder. The titles and subjects seem completely unrelated to each other: Practical Thaumaturgy In Accordance with Creation, Geographic Anomalies of the Inner Sea, Under Kaer Maga: A Trial and Travel, Physiology of Dragons: An Illustrated Reference, Lost Sarusan.
The leather folder contains cargo manifestos, warehouse inventories, and other financial logs from a dozen different merchant houses and trade guilds.
The crate also contains 10 sets of masterwork thieves’ tools, three flasks of alchemist’s fire, a flask of acid, a dozen jars of various inks, a footprint book, adamantine weapon blanch, three bags of powder, a deck of marked cards, and two sets of average loaded dice.
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Bregolas wipes his blade clean before sheathing it. Examining the books for himself, he simply remarks, "Most curious."
The elf nods in agreement on the orphanage task next, and makes sure to collect any (unspoiled) dried fish for the orphans. He also picks up the adamantine blanch and footprints book, "These may come in handy."
The look on the ranger's face on returning to the shop says it all, You will not catch me dead buying a single edible thing in a shop that sells baatezu fetuses.
As you leave the docks and head back to The Pickled Imp, you notice a pair of street thugs paying close attention to the party. You strain your eyes to get a good look but they have already blended back into the crowd.
After Guaril thanks you for the return of his property you make your way to The Temple of the Shining Star. Upon your arrival you are greeted by Ollysta Zadrian; a paladin of Sarenrae who is young in her years but holds herself with the poise of a queen and warrior simultaneously
“Thank the light of Sarenrae you have arrived! I knew Ambrus would come through for us in the Silver Crusade. I desperately need you to bring medicine to an orphanage and let me know if the headmistress, Gilga Baltwin, is deserving of our charity. Since our quest began, the needy have clamored for our aid, and I suspect some are abusing our generosity. It may sound cruel, but there are plenty of dishonest people out in the world eager for easy gold.'
“Do you know of the Silver Crusade? After discovering so many factions splintered the Society, a number of us banded together to proliferate the cause of charity and kindness using the Society’s resources. As it is said, ‘The Dawn brings new light’ and I’ve made it my life’s work to use our recent darkness to bring a new light to the world and to the Pathfinder Society."
"I apologize for straying off point. Will you bring this parcel of medicine to Auntie Baltwin’s Home for Recovery in the Eastgate district?”
"Unless your safety is in jeopardy I'd prefer you simply report back to me if something seems amiss. Resorting to violence when there might be children about would be ill advised."
As you make your way to Auntie Baltwin's Home for Recovery you decide it would behoove you to ask a few locals what they know about the orphanage and the headmistress’s quality of character. While most witnesses admit she is a mean old bag, they also all reply they think it is great what she’s doing for the children.
Miltivis, who runs a nearby market, claims he’s served Auntie Baltwin for over 30 years, and while a good customer, she is quite demanding and often rude to the other customers. He says she’s kept his supplier of fine whiskeys in business for decades.
Gilga Baltwin’s neighbors Travost and Tirelle Anthos are frankly tired of the noises the children make and the retinue of cats—though they do appreciate the latter’s mousing skills. They admit to being happy when Auntie Baltwin sends the children “off into the town” during the day, as it gives them a few hours of peace and quiet before they return in the evening.
At the estate across the street, Master Trebb Bonto, a retired builder, says nothing but nice things of Lady Baltwin, as he calls her. He recounts tales of tea and games on the sitting porch, though if pressed, he lets slip that she often cheats at games and sometimes had some shady characters coming to whisper in her ear and palm her small bags of what might have been money before slinking away. “Otherwise a fine lady, indeed.” he quickly adds.
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"So she spends a bit of money on the drink. I've been known to do the same at times. That doesn't prove anything. I do wonder what the children do in town during the day. Not sure that sounds very safe. Any of you well versed in the persuasive arts? Not my strong suit, to question someone," Fahd ponders as he tells the others what information he was able to find.
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"I have heard the same rumors Fahd. Methinks we shall have no problems getting answers to our questions, persuasive or not. I will be more than happy to keep Auntie Baltwin occupied while you all questions some of the young ones. And for her sake I hope she answers correctly. Regardless let us pick up a bottle of whiskey from Miltivis. The drink tends to assist these humans into truth telling."
Durothil's face is split wide by a grin. Either she will earn my praise or I will quickly remove her from this plane of existence if she hurts these orphan children