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Johender, along with his brother, ambles over to find Star Chaser, Thrash, and Farg at the Symposium. "Bunch of studious types, eh?" He says with a wink and elbow to his brother. Studying everyone's pins, he nods in appreciation. "I heard Master of Spells, Aram Zey was slated to deliver the keynote address but begged out 'cause his general dislike and disdain for the Grand Convocation as a colossal waste of time
and expense." Joh shakes his head. "Scurvy dog!" He says spitting the word. "I guess Marcos Farabellus, Master of Swords, volunteered to take his place."
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Jocephus chuckles at his brother's remark about Zey. "I've heard a few people talking about the Sky Key. Supposedly, it in some chamber with no corners along the exterior walls, floor, and ceiling. This is to help shield it from strange otherworldly entities." He says, raising his eyebrows, and holding up his hands while wriggling his fingers. "I'm guessin' that's what the keynote speech will be about, that Sky Key."
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"That sounds exciting!" exclaims Zirt, wandering over with her big furry dog in tow. "What do you think he'll say about it? I heard that the sky key is for unlocking the whole sky, though I'm not sure what that means exactly. Do you know? Do you suppose we'll get any actual information, or just... words?"
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Finding the symposium very educational but eager to keep her senses sharp, Idgethun heads over to the eastern outbuildings to try her hand and sleuthing.
However, the blindfold's fabric causes an allergic reaction with her eyes, and she can't see much of anything! She decides that that's enough games for today and leaves to find Johendar and Jocephus. The redness on her cheeks from slight embarrassment has faded by the time she catches up with them.
For the remainder of the afternoon, she wanders the crowd with the pair, hoping to pick up a bit of news from them or the other Pathfinders streaming in from the far sides of the world. "In from Cassomir, myself, and before that Qadir. What news from beyond the Inner Sea?
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Sky Key, Jan interested, found two pieces for lodge during travels. No idea why important though. Any other ideas?
You mean them Dwarf whatsits? Bagged me one o' them too. Met a gilded gargle that had a whole yarn about it.
Well, as long as we've got a minute before this lecture starts, might as well show y'all how the Lastwall Phalanx works.
Thrash arranges some pieces of chalk on the ground to show a formation of two lines of three, like so.
X X X
X X X
He makes another set like so:
X X
X X
X X
So it's pretty simple. Long as I'm around, we'll all be tougher to take down by sword or spell if we stick close. More folks you're next to, tougher you'll be. Important cave-at, Thrash isn't great at pronunciation. It'll only defend us from those of evil hearts. I figger our toughest bruisers should be up front and on the sides, while our least defensively inclined basher can be front and center. Back center would be our most vulnerable colleague, and sides of the back would be anyone with spears, bows, or just less vulnerable folks what sling spells and so forth. Now, I doubt any of you'll need this information today, as security seems pretty tight, but I know there've been...issues...at Convocations before, so better safe than sorry.
or:
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Odd listens eagerly, more comfortable with this sort of conversation than most others. "Hmm, impressive. Though I don't have as much experience as some of the others here, I would prefer to occupy the front line if possible. Phomos and Kyrinae..." and here she pats her daggers, "...do not grant a great deal of reach."
As the competitions continue, Zirt and Thrash reunite at the animal taming contest.
Zirt goes first, issued a surprise animal, a ruffed grouse. Getting out her spoons, you begins playing, finding the bird responding in kind. Once she begins speaking with the avian, she finds she has done a remarkable impression of the grousian mating dance and piqued the bird's interest. Responding with chagrin, Zirt is forced to let the amorous bird down easy, as she explains that it's her, not him. Despite the confusion, Zirt easily wins her contest and is awarded a carved, ebony pin fashioned into the shape an eagle perched on antlers.
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Thrah takes his turn next, and is issued an owlbear, supposedly some Field Agent's animal companion, as the judges assure him the beast is semi-domesticated. After a shot stare down, where the big owl eyes blink first, Thrash begins issuing commands to the magical beast. Soon the judges are quite impressed as the hulking owlbear rolls over, the lumbers off to fetch a leather rat-shaped chew toy. To a round of applause, Thrash is awarded a carved, ebony pin fashioned into the shape an eagle perched on antlers.
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Following her success at the animal handling contest, Zirt runs into Idgethun at the sleuthing competition. The two women are led, blindfolded, into the middle of a mock accident scene. Blindfolds removed, the two are given two minutes to study the scene, then are asked a series of questions abotu what they remember. Unfortunately both are relegated to simple one word answers such as, "ah..blood?, um...dead people?...."
Crestfallen, both leave the competition without a success.
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As the rest of her companions regroup and begin discussing past tactics in previous missions, Zirt continues trying to sate her gnomish curiosity.
Moving on to the strength competition, Zirt surprises the judging panel as she beats everyone by loading her pack with the most lead ingots and carrying it about. For her efforts, Zirt is presented with a small iron pin fashioned in the shape of dire bear.
Next the little gnome scampers over to the obstacle course. Zirt gets off to a great start, leaping a hedge, then scurrying across the narrow beam over the mud pit. Alas, when she comes to the wall erected to simulate rock climbing, she finds the first handhold is too high off the ground for her to reach no matter how high she jumps. Everntually the gnome is forced to concede her defeat and sulks away to final competition.
Coming to the lore symposium, Zirt enters the judges' circle and launches into a discussion about the truth and myth behind the historical Uknath the Ape, Terror of the South Hollows. Though the judges seem oblivious to the subject of her lecture, rather than proclaim ignorance, they award Zirt a small, silver pin fashioned in the shape of an open tome.
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As Zirt finds her way back to group where everyone is relaxing and trading stories of past missions, Johender and Jocephus return, each carrying a tankard of Steelkeg's Ole' Snakebite #5. Taking a long draw from his tankard, Joh wipes his mouth on the back of his sleeve and says. "Nice job! I was watching most of ya. Won more than ya lost, I'd wager."
Taking another quaff he says. "I was chattin' up some local agent and she was telling me that the menagerie has been temporarily expanded on accounts of the Convocation. The Lodge is bankin' on the large number of visitors to present as many unusual specimens as possible."
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Jocephus takes a long drink from his tankard and makes a face as his brother speaks. Coughing to clear his throat, he says. "Sort of along the same subject, I was talking to a fellow from the Grand Lodge. He was tellin' me that some councilman from up in the Foreign Quarter, Lord Omrys of house Ahnkamen, I think. Anyways, this bloke has his coattail in a tangle and registered concern with Abasalom's Grand Council. Said Lord thinks the Convocation is a "weirdness magnet" and brings more trouble than good. I guess he thinks so many agents in such a concentrations is a recipe fer disaster, so he's the district guard keeping tabs on the festivities. Supposedly the Ten are trying to smooth things over. I'd tell the man to get corked, but I guess that's why I'm not of the Ten....or am I." He finishes, with a grin and conspiratorial wink. "Anyway, be careful if your thinkin' of makin' the rounds in the local pubs, just don't pull too much attention to ye'selves."
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Johender nods in agreement with his brother's warning. "I also heard the with the large numbers of venture cap'ns from abroad, there's speculation they're submittin' all sorts of interesting missions, trying to catch the Ten's ear." He says, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
Seeing the woman who greets him, Johender turns and gives her a big grin. Eadie, how ya doin' lass? Keeping well it looks like!" Giving her a wink and a bow, he says. "Good seeing ya, love! I'm sure we'll bump into each other at some point."
Despite asking around, no one learns anything particularly new or exciting about the Sky Key beyond what is already fairly common knowledge among Pathfinders.
As the time passes, Johender and Jocephus get well into their cups while they meet new friends, renew past friendships, and exchange tales, tips, and rumors.
That the brothers have begun to enjoy themselves a little too much is evidenced by Johender holding a tankard above his head, while Jocephus attempts to shoot it with his pistol from thirty feet away.
The first shot is a little off, knocking a chip from the side of the tankard. Cursing, Jocephus takes a staggering step backward while Joh laughs and sends jibes at his brother. He fishes around in his pack for an entirely too long amount of time, then holds up a bullet and paper wad in triumph. Reloading the pistol, spilling copious amounts of black powder in the process, Jocephus levels the pistol, and closes one eye. The pistol wavers back and forth as the man's body sways forward and backward. As his tongue creeps out of the corner of his mouth, Jocephus takes a deep breath, burps, then fires.
This time the bullet just hits the tankard, but already compromised from the first shot, the tankard, rather than exploding in a cloud of shards, begins to collapse as the left side falls away, then the handle break off in Joh's hand, and the rest of the vessel falls to the ground, breaking apart into pieces.
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Odd allows herself a small smile, enjoying the moment of celebration more than she might have expected, though she stands quietly at the edge of the crowd. So close to the Boneyard, and yet so full of life... a curious conundrum. One we are all used to here, I suppose. She pulls her cloak a little tighter across her shoulders.
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Johender's head jerks up and he looks, bleary-eyed, in the direction of his name. An immposibly big grin appears on his face as he stumbles forward, arms wide. "Tuna? Tuna! How are ya, lass? Swhere did ya come frim?
Lurching forward, Joh nearly spills over, catches himself, arms pinwheeling, then grins at Antonella, putting his index finger to the side of his nose. "Al...alchem...alkamast kinders? 'Fraid not dearie."
"Did ya say Bold Strider? Bah! Dem's blokes s'alright, if not full of piss and vinegar...."
Suddenly his knees give out and Johender collapses to the ground, landing cross-legged. "Tuna....Tuna...Tuna. Wha? Ya leavin'? I'll come find ya in just a bit. Jes takin' a little res...." Johender doesn't finish his thought as his head dips and he begins dozing.
Twenty minutes pass, then with a snort, Joh leaps to feet, and lurches off, calling out for Antonella. "Tuna?....Tuna?.... Tuna? "
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A short man in clanking full-plate strolls by. His eyes are almost impossibly dilated, and his tabard and cloak are tie-dyed in a garish rainbow. He is munching on a bag filled with a medley of mosses, mushrooms, and lichens. Behind him follows an animated clawfoot bathtub, which behaves strangely like an awkward dog. After hearing Johendar's cries for Tuna, this odd fellow begins crying out, Mask Lady! My friend over here offers his supplication for a huge freakin' fish! Hear my pleas and fill up Mr. Suds with delicious spring water!
While one of his hands weaves the motions of a minor magic over the bathtub, he pours copious amounts of salt into the bath with his other. After a few seconds, 26 gallons of water appear in the pet bathtub. This process is rapidly repeated a few times, before he yells out again: Hear me, oh Mask Lady, she who fills me with the wacky and the secret sauce! Bestow upon me a tuna, that we might slather it with mayonnaise and minced pickles!
A fiendish octopus appears in the saline bathwater.
Oh yeah, can't summon tunas. Well, here's some calamari. Bobo! heaves the octopus from the bathtub out onto the ground. The bathtub waddles to a tree and lifts a hind leg, and begins to drain of water.
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Oh crap, where's Bobo! gotten off to this time. I suppose I should find him before he makes too much a mess of things.
A rather lanky man comes rushing up, moving faster and looser than his full-plate looks like it should allow, and doesn't bother introducing himself.
Dammit Bobo!, we gotta get over to the keynote speech, some crap about honoring new Venture Captains and their lodges. Quit messing around.
Sorry bout that, lost track of him there for a minute.
If both of you brothers you want to put an apple on your heads I'd bet good money I can shoot it off with a real weapon.
Looking at Bart there's a quiver and a backpack over his shoulder and a rather plain looking longsword at his hip, but no ranged weapons to be seen. One side of his lips quirk up in a small smile.
As the brothers's antics continue, a magically amplified voice echoes across the grounds. "“Pathfinders, please get settled. All campus-wide events are closing. All venture-captains and field agents are invited to gather on the north lawn for refreshments and the keynote address in several minutes.”
Agents begin walking toward the speaker's dais, waiting for the keynote speech.......
After a time, Marcos Farabellus climbs to the podium amid a round of raucous applause and cheers. Raising his hand for quiet, he begins speaking.
"“Greetings! Once again, I am Marcos Farabellus, Master of Swords, and it is my distinct privilege to welcome you all to the annual Grand Convocation of the Pathfinder Society! We have sent expeditions throughout the Inner Sea and beyond – from Tian Xia to Jalmeray to Irrisen, we have explored, worked together, and uncovered more mysteries about our world than ever before. It has been an incredibly successful year for the Society, and the ones responsible stand before me today: each and every one of you who continues to make the Society great. On behalf of the Decemvirate and your venture-captains, you have our sincerest thanks." He pauses as another round of applause and cheers drowns his out.
As the noise settles, he continues. “As most of you know, one our greatest triumphs of the decade has been the location and exploration of the lost sky citadel, Jormurdun. Those of you who joined the Jormurdun expedition may recall the unusual artifact that we discovered on that mission: the Sky Key. The key gave us a momentary glimpse of the past—an unparalleled opportunity to meet and interact with a lost civilization. Unfortunately, the key was not whole. So, for the past year, teams have scoured Golarion in search of its missing components. I’m pleased to announce today, the Sky Key is whole! Soon we will again bridge the divide to ages past and…”
The Master of Swords pauses for a brief, questioning second as he peers into the air above the gathered crowd. There, an immense Glyph of the Open Road hangs in midair before booming an angry retort.
Farabellus’s eyes narrow as he stares at the symbol. “Who are you and who put you up to this?”
The voice retorts.
With each accusation, cracks appear in the Glyph of the Open Road before the whole symbol ignites and drips flaming tears upon the crowd below.
Screeches from above announce scores of winged humanoids launching themselves from Skyreach’s many roofs, just as howls from the menagerie accompanied by explosions from the outbuildings that send painful reverberations through the Grand Lodge.
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Star Chaser, having not been in a battle of any sort for quite some time, fumbles a little bit getting two wands out of his haversack, using one of them and returning it immediately to the bag:
(= Temporary HP / False Life / 3 hours or until expended)
He keeps the other wand (Shield) in-hand, along with his quarterstaff.
" .یہ صرف زبانیں ہیں کیونکہ میں نے دباؤ کے تحت استعمال کرنے کے قابل ہو. جائے گا "
He nods, though, at whatever Thrash said, and will move where the rest of the party goes.
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Zirt flails her arms about wildly, jumping quickly into Gregarious' saddle and calling loudly and shrilly for Jadrek. The big bear isn't far off, and comes lumbering over with head tilted as if to say, I thought you told me to wait over there. What's going on? He eyes the bustling Pathfinders a bit warily, but prepares to follow his mistress wherever she goes.
Zirt breathes a sigh of relief when Jadrek appears, and takes a moment to turn to Star Chaser. "لديك أكثر من لسان واحد؟" she asks, puzzled. "وأنت لا تحتاج إلى من التأكيد، لأن Jadrek سوف ننظر بالنسبة لنا!"
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Jan looks a bit confused as Thrash starts heading north and Idgethun starts heading south and a bunch of different languages start being spoken. He sees Thrash catch up heading south and takes the left front flank.
No idea what you all talk about.
Thrash catches up to Idgethun and stays on his left.
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He sees Thrash catch up heading south and takes the left front flank.
Seeing Jan come upon his own left, Thrash switches to flank Idgethun on the right.
Best to keep the lady between us, she doesn't have quite so much metal between blades and bones as we got. The Phalanx'll help her more if we flank her.
Zirt, fall in behind Iddie, the Phalanx will help you most there. Chaser, stay behind Jan. Farg, take position behind me, you can jab with that spear while I stay between you and the enemy. To arms!
The formation he calls for is as follows: (None of us have names with the same first letter. Handy that.
J I T
S Z F
As the party starts runnig off in two directions, people begin to realize everyone is splitting up. Finally a consensus is made and the party rushes off to the south, toward the main gate.
As you cross the grounds and before you can even reach your destination, suddenly you see two large creatures running across the grounds, charging at anyone in their way. Large hairy quadrupeds with a single conical horn on the snout, the two creatures veer in your direction and begin to charge!
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As we begin to walk towards the south campus, Jan will pull out a pair of platinum rings hand one to Zirt.
Zirt, you put on ring and I protect you better, but stay close
Assuming she does.
Desna välsigna oss båda och ge oss säkra resor
Desna bless us both and bring us safe travels
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Star Chaser sees the beasts and is able to react quickly. He lets his wand dangle from its weapon cord, weaving a mystical divine spell in the air as he chants:
(The southern-most creature must make a DC 17 Will Save or be affected by the spell Murderous Command for 1 round)
Star Chaser reacts quickly to the oncoming creatures from the realms of mammoths .as he casts a spell on the southern creature. The spell seems to take hold as the creature's steps slow a bit, and it turns and snorts loudly at its companion, giving it the stink-eye!
Zirts squeals in concern at the sight of the woolly behemoths, then starts an inspiring monk tale to raise party spirits!
The spell addled southern rhino executes an amazingly tight turn amd charges its companion. The animal smashes into its mate, goring the startled animal in the side!
The northern rhino snorts in fury, lowers it head, then horns the stink eye'd rhino in the belly!