Although its exterior is unassuming, the interior of the White Uraeus is richly decorated with panels of gold-veined marble and bubbling fountains in secluded courtyards. Cool breezes carry the scent of blooming desert flowers throughout the clean halls. Two half-orcs keep watch outside one set of closed doors. After a moment inspecting the visitors, they pull open the doors to reveal a tiled bathing chamber beyond.
“Welcome to Eto, Pathfinders,” rasps Grandmaster Torch as he lounges in a steaming tub. “I didn’t imagine we would meet again under such heart-warming circumstances, yet the White Uraeus certainly knows how to make a traveler comfortable. What can a humble secret monger such as I do for you?” he asks as he leans forward in the tub and flashes a knowing smile.
Even though Swayaah doesn't talk to Torch, she sees enough to know that information, from this person, doesn't come free.
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Annalísa enters the White Uraeus and is both repulsed and facinated by Torch's scars, especially after hearing so much about him. Why does this person receive us while in his tub? He's isn't the nicest sight to see, to say the least. As no one else steps foward to speak, Annalísa hesitates a bit before clearing her throat and trying to sound as confident as she can: "Grandmaster Torch. Your reputation is well known and stories about your past adventures and successes are told by many. We have come to ask for your assistance - and will obviously give something in exchange. If I may put it this way, we are looking for some jewels. The ancient type, preferably. We are most interested in a special Diamond, carried by a certain sage. We heard you might help us find these, and are here to discuss the terms of such an exchange, if it is indeed relevant.
Torch nods amenably as he listens to their request. “Amenopheus may have overlooked the fact that he owed me several favors before I ever asked for his help, but I don’t mind extending a discount to repeat customers. he remarks with a rasping chuckle as he snaps his fingers to summon one of his bodyguards, who arrives carrying a folded piece of paper. Let’s see what’s on today’s schedule,” he murmurs as he examines the paper’s contents. “Yes, all of this will do. Consider this my price—all of these tasks completed to my satisfaction in return for what I know of the sages’ jewels. Do we have a deal?”
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Annalísa listens to her fellow group members and slightly shakes her head at Swayaah when she mentions her name His price is too high now. We should at least try to lower it - I did not join the Pathfinders to run errands for this creature. When Reinor speaks, she smiles to herself That's quite naive of him; it is only natural that people might get hurt or in trouble because of our actions. That is how the world works. We will better some in doing these tasks while worsening others, but the main winner will be Torch. When the others finish speaking, she steps foward. "Your business with Amenopheus and his debts to you are of little concern to us as he is not our employer. To be honest, I find the trade you offer - four dangerous tasks in exchange of information - extremely one sided. It seems only fair that you take a couple of tasks off the list or offer us a more tangible reward as well as your information."
Amenopheus' debts are not yours, yet still you represent him. The choice is entirely yours, it's a free market after all. You're free not to take the deal.
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Annalísa clenches her teeth at Torch's stubbornness and exorbitant price for his piece of information. You might be more powerful now Torch, but I will not forget this in the future. Once Insidion voices his agreement for the deal, she shakes her head in frustration. "Fine. We will do your tasks in return for the information", she says angrily, snatching the note with the task list and turns to leave the room, clearly exasperated.
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Race shakes his head sadly at Torch. "You have more power than us now, so you get to be the bully and have your way. Everybody's power fails at some point in time, though, and when our power fails, we will have friends to carry us through. I think I would not want to be you the day your power fails, poor guy."
He gives the scarred man a pitying look before heading out.
If my power will fail me eventually, why not enjoy it while it lasts? Torch replies sardonically.
Madame Zelekhati recently began hiring more workers at the Dancing Dunes, though she sends away most who don’t have at least some elven blood. Also, most merchants recommend avoiding Beggar’s Alley, which is home to a gang of pickpockets known as the Hundredfingers.
The Osirionologist Ionacu Lozar is in a terrible rush to get his expedition underway, but he is exceedingly stingy and has no patience for haggling. As a result, the few merchants who are willing to do business with him are taking their time delivering supplies to his caravan’s marshaling area.
Something has the Hundredfingers gang spooked. The normally ubiquitous thieves have been avoiding the bazaar for a few days.
[ooc]And you can read Annalisa's spoiler.
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Swayaah chuckles at Torch's retort. As they leave she muses "At the end, what will be his legacy? A pile of worthless secrets."
"Sorry I couldn't be more help during that. Still learning to talk to people. He has the power and he has what we need, so there isn't much you could argue."
Swayaah glances at the list. "Now investigation? There's my strong suit. Hopefully I can show I do more to help than laugh."
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Not much for diplomacy, Dekion has kept quiet and acted more as a body guard for the others more skilled in talking. In reviewing the list, however, he does comment, "We will need to either pay a tax on the artifact or smuggle it in. It must be a stiff tax, otherwise, why didn't they already bring it in?"
Swayaah manages to confirm the rumours that Annalisa heard.
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Swayaah nods at Dekion's words. "There must be some way around those customs. None of us are the pickpocket type, so I wouldn't try to smuggle them though. We would be hard pressed to get by that inspector, anyway. We could look for an underground route smugglers use and try to use that instead. Won't be safe, of course."
Exiting Eto without much trouble, the party makes it to the dry well southeast of the Sunrise Gate. At the base of a cliff, wild grasses hug the low walls surrounding the wide mouth of the well.
Insidion learns the place used to be a way station for water sellers, before Eto began taxing those who entered its gates.
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The second task seems easy enough. Find well, retrieve stuff, keep some and bring the magic rod back to Torch while avoiding getting caught. Shouldn't be too difficult.
As the party draws near the well, Annalísa thinks about Insidion's new information. "If water sellers used to come here, they must have another way into town. We could either contact them or try Race's method of throwing a rope or maybe even scale the wall at night. Swayaah here seems to be more than capable of doing so. Before deciding however, we should see what kind and number of items we're dealing with."
She then offers Swayaah help to climb down the well, but as the tiefling does so extremely easily Annalísa feels more than a bit embarassed. Awkward.... With her thoughts preoccupied, she notices nothing special around.
Swaayah manages to climb down with ease. At the bottom, the is a passage to the east, which is completely dark, and which opens to a large, underground cave. A dark pool fills the center of this vast chamber spilling out of its cracked basin. The trickle of water flows west through a short tunnel of rough-hewn stone and pools at the bottom of a collapsed well. Alcoves set in the walls give the illusion of staring at the flared hood of a cobra. Two altars face each other across the pool in the chamber’s northwest and southeast corners. A statue of a robed human male stands in the northeast corner, and what must have been its twin lies toppled in the southwest corner.
Swaayah is below, while the rest of the party is still standing at the top of the well.
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Swayaah takes a gander at the altar with her darkvision (thanks mom) and climbs out of the well to give a quick description. Despite her flawless climb down the well, she slips up a times before finding her footing.
"So there's a cavern down there, ankle-deep water. There's an altar down there that is shaped like a cobra's head. Then there are two statues there, both of hooded men. Well, one of them is destroyed."
Swayaah stretches a bit. "I think we'll need to go down as a team and investigate." Swayaah grins and twitches her eyebrows at the word "investigate". She certainly feels happy about that. "I'll drop some rope and we can climb down there."
Swayaah pulls out her 50 feet of rope and begins knotting the rope. She will then secure the rope and climb down again.
Maybe she's only good at climbing down walls...
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"We wouldn't be Pathfinders if we didn't have the urge to crawl in dark, creepy places. Let's go check it out"
Reinor grabbed the rope and started climbing down.
After Reinor managed to reach the bottom, he took out a Wayfinder from under his shirt.
"Mhm. Lights, please!" and his small wayfinder, handing on his neck, started to glow.
Reiner quickly finds that his light seems to be less effective than he is used to. It does illuminate the area, but only half as far as usual.
The adventurers are standing at the bottom of the well, with limited visibility, save for Insidion and Swayaah...
There is a lingering aura of transmutation magic that permeates the area, although it doesn't seem to originate from a focused source.
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Dekion looks over at Reiner with a puzzled look on his face. "I thought those were supposed to be brighter. Is there something down here causing the light to be dimmer? Can the tieflings see normally? Maybe you should scout ahead for us so we don't stumble into an ambush. We will follow closely behind you."
As Reinor steps up to the altar, light in hand, he hears a hissing sound. Two nasty, venomous serpents appear from under the altar, hissing at Reinor, and read to strike.
Before he gets as much as a heartbeat to react, the snakes slither toward him, an the first even manages to sink its fangs into the half-elf.
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Annalisa
Dekion
Race
Reinor
Swayaah
Insidion
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Snake
Snake
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"So I didn't go into the altar, just took a peek. Weird that the lantern isn't as effective. Maybe there is magic-"
"Did you hear something, Reinor?" Swayaah walks around the corner just as a pair of snakes emerge.
"Giant snakes. I shouldn't be that surprised." Swayaah bares her claws and grows at the snakes.
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Annalísa climbs down the pit last and looks around a bit before Reinor moves towards the altar. Creepy place. I wonder what was going on here in the past. Even the lights are dimmer, as if the darkness is stronger around. I should stay on guard. Her alertness pays off, as she draws her rapier immediately after catching movement in the side of her eyes. She isn't fast enough to stop Reinor from being bitten, but immediately afterwards Annalísa moves forwards to and attempts to skewer one of the snakes on her rapier while flanking it.