"Good. Now unless you have anything to add to this, I suggest you make yourself scarce."
She then steps away from the man, and moves to a spot where she can review the information he gave her. Once done with that, she will join Shohiraj in looking for Janira Gavix.
After staring at the cages for a while Rataji realises he has absolutely no idea what's he looking for and feeling the presence of a halfing and the subsequent divine confirmation decides to try his luck with the sphinx instead. He approaches casually, beckoning Marnicius to walk with him.
As they get closer to the cage Rataji begins a faux conversation, winking at Marnicius just to cue him in.
" I have a most difficult problem i am unable to resolve. I have four legs but cannot run, wings but cannot fly, wear a brace of iron that binds and does not block. Who am I?"
Rataji starts and ends his little skit close enough for the sphinx to hear and ending it by turn to the sphinx and asking
" I suppose you fine creature have some idea of how we may set you free from here?"
Rataji grins widely, with a look that displays charity but twinkles with a note that a deal must be struck first.
The man barely looks at Jorilyn as he, head down, quickly walks away.
As Rataji approaches and speaks to the sphinx, the creature stares at him for a long moment, then says."A time comes when the shackled shall walk among men, voicing their grievances with a hundred horns. The children-who strain at false laws-know not that the time is not today, but no man can chide them, for he knows not their tongue! Their castle shall fall away, and only a lion or sheep shall be their herald, calling out to let them know that their time in the sun has arrived!"
Rataji ponders the Sphinx's words for a moment
He unfortunately has absolutely no idea what he's saying, but makes a note of it anyway.
" The shackled shall walk among men. That seems like a good sign he wants out. And the children who strain at false laws? It makes sense that the animals in here are much like children, considering my experience with the Lamia... It seems positive so far, though i fail to understand what he's trying to say here."
He leans over and nudges the slayer
" Perhaps you have some idea?"
Marnarius, checking to make sure he's not overheard, whispers to Rataji and the oracle: "I believe our impressive and knowledgeable friend here will be willing AND more than able to create a nice diversion for us in the zoo at the right time!"
The sphinx merely bows its head. "What is the price of freedom? Freedom is worth more than all the riches in the world." It says, relaying that its release is all that it asks for.
Marnarius will move to the Sphinx's cage, trying to be casually unnoticed
And then whispers to the sphinx "Freedom ought not be too far away."
And then works on picking the lock on the sphinx's cage
Rataji sees Marnarius sneak off and decide to maybe avert the attention of zookeepers.He walks up to a keeper and decides to strike up a conversation, hoping to avert the man's attention to allow Marnarius to pass unhindered.
"Say whats that large bird in that cage over there?"
Rataji manages to draw away the keepers attention, allowing Marny to try the lock. Hurrying at the job, his hand fumbles and he find himself unable to unlock the cage.
After a bit of asking around, Shohiraj hears that a Janira Gavix is over by the statue of Durvin Gest, telling stories.
332 begins speaking to the zoo keeper, drawing away the man's attention.
"Of all the blasted luck! When there's people about." … are the more polite things Marnarius is thinking with his attempt at picking the lock on the sphinx's cage.
Marnarius will have another go at picking the lock...
Joliryn will head with Shohiraj over the statue of Durvin Gest, Pathfinder blowhard extraordinaire.
Marny manages to unlock the cages, and at the word of the sphinx, all creatures, great and small, burst from their cages and begin rampaging through the menagerie!
After, the party makes its way to the statue of Durvin Gest. Already carved in larger-than-life proportions, the stone statue of Durvin Gest towers over the surrounding lawn on a pedestal flanked by angelic figures and carved with elaborate friezes depicting some of his most famous voyages.
Several dozen Pathfinders are gathered around the statue, swapping stories and participating in improvised competitions of braggadocio. Among them is Janira Gavix.....Janira is just finishing up a story about Selmius Foster—one of the first Pathfinders published in the Pathfinder Chronicles—and his fabled race against a marid and an efreeti, whom he cleverly tricked into distracting one another while he sped across the finish line. The story earns polite applause, and Janira hops down from the bench she had used as a speaking platform.
Rataji gestures the remainder the group away from the ensuing chaos
"Certainly a job well done from all of you. I suspect Joliryn and Shohiraj have finished their end of the job"
He pauses to think
"I remember Shohiraj talking about another priority target, a Janira Gavix i think. If we make our way to her we should be able to pick up the rest of our stray lambs."
Rataji leads the rest of the party to Joliryn and Shohiraj.
Joliryn observes the other halfling, before turning to Shohiraj.
"I'll follow your lead here. What's the plan? Get her alone and knock her over the head? Need a diversion? I could set someone on fire. Or are you just going to grab the key out of her pocket? Just give me the word."
oh pride how you have fallen more adventurers than even the mightiest of monsters.
Smirking widely at Joliryn's willingness to comply Shohiraj picks the little Halfling up and walks her near Janira.
"Hello Mrs. Gavix" shohiraj says with a grin.
"my friend here says she can out bard you with one hand tied behind her back. she also said something about how the master of scrolls prefers he prescience more."
The crowd gathered around the statue begins to cheer and egg on Janira, who hops down from her perch on the statue's pedestal, and then says. "Strong words, my friend. I will accept the challenge, but I insist that your friend goes first. Fair enough?"
What the?!? … I meant distraction as in set something on fire, not tell a story.
Joliryn scowls at the thief briefly before recovering her composure.
”Yes, right a story. So, there was this time I was in western Andoran, looking for a candlestick that was reportedly from the First World. It was owned by this old lady who lived out in the middle of the forest, nowhere near any place civilized. So we approach her house….
Joliryn casts prestidigitation to make little shadow puppets that she uses to act out the narrative. She goes on to tell a long drawn out story about a woman who was really a druid and lived in harmony with a bunch of dryads. The gist of the story involves Joliryn stealing the candlestick and ends with her being confronted by one of the dryads.
”So then I hit her, and this green blood went everywhere! But she didn’t stay down, so I hit her with the candlestick. And I hit her again. And again for good measure. She stayed down after that, though.”
She then looks up expectantly, waiting for the crowd to applaud.
Golf clap....
Rataji cringes she the Joliryn emphasizes the violence in her tale. He nods along. It sure does sound convincing to him.
Jorilyn tale finishes to an euption of cheers and claps from the assembled Pathfinders. Janira nods, obviously impressed. Stepping forward, she raises her hands then launches into a tale about taking a group of neophyte agents into an Azlanti ruin on the western side of the island. "And then this minotaur chased us....." As she becomes engrossed in her tale, the halfling walks to the pedestal of the statue, sets down her pack, and shrugs over her jacket. "....I ran away in the opposite direction, drawing the bovine beast's attention...." She continues her telling as she paces back to the middle of the circle.
using her clever plan as a diversion Shohiraj sneaks over and tries to pilfer the key.
Rataji offers a tale of his own creation to help his acquaintances
"Ha YOU led the minotaur off the trail of the adventurers? I heard that you tried steal their glory but the adventurers were smarted what you expected. Felled the beast without much of your help."
He snorted and offers a challenging smile back to the storyteller
Shohiraj capitalizes on Janira's distracted attention and easily slips over and pilfers the keys!
Meanwhile, 332 tries clambering onto the statue, but slips back down. Despite trying to go unnnoticed, a handful of agents give her disapproving looks, but no one says anything to her.
Janira fires a glare at Rataji, but continues with her tale. "...the beast chased me across the countryside while the newbs...er...graduates delved the ruin...."
like taking candy from a baby Shohiraj thinks as she meets up with her friends.
After her first failure, 332 decides to fly up and place the item. Once again, agent near her, turn and glare, but say nothing.
Just as you accomplish your goals, ushers begin informing everyone in attendance to gather on the north lawn for a speech by the Master of Swords.
Taking your cue, the party begins moving obliquely toward Skyreach. As you do, 332 feels something drop into her pocket. Reaching in, she feels a small lantern.
Entering Skyreach, you see no one, but feel there are likely a skeleton crew of guards patrolling the building.
"Come on. It looks like they left the 'b' team around to stand watch. Let's get this moving."
Joliryn will lead the group into Skyreach.
Rataji claps and his grab transforms into that of the guard's uniform.
He tails behind Joliryn, content to let her lead the way.
In addition, Arminaldi spent considerable time assisting Master of Scrolls Aram Zey catalogue scrolls, and the cleric took notes about spells he identified: "Aram Zey typically relies on his learned magical abilities to invoke destructive and defensive magic, but his scroll collection indicates that he has many written incantations that feature powerful wards and glyphs.He made sure that I filed a particularly powerful illusion spell near one end of his office's shelf, the better to snatch it up in case of intruders. Avoid his office at all costs unless invited, for there are too many protective spells sealing the door for me to parse what each of them is, much less how to unravel them.
using the crowds as cover Shohiraj passes through to the meeting point.
Marnarius will stealthily follow the others to the meeting point.
Moving quickly and stealthily through the Lodge's corridors, the party avoids running into any patrols. Descending into the Vaults, you come to a set of double doors. A sign clearly labels the area Antarnicus Wing.
Rataji leans in and places his ear against the door, wary of noises
Jolyrin will cast detect magic.
"I understand most of these Pathfinders keep their loot under lock, key, and trap. I'd be careful touching that door if I were you."
Marnrious carefully inspects the door for traps.
Leaning forward Shohiraj inspects the door.
Checking the door, Shohiraj finds it trapped and locked.
another piece of the puzzle falls into place she says as Shohiraj takes the key from her pocket and unlocks the door. waiting for the party to signal they are ready she will open the door.
Rataji gives the rouge a thumbs up and draws his dagger
Nodding back at the wizard Sho stairs at the door taking a deep breath and adjusting her pathfinder disguise she opens it silently.
Shohiraj inserts the key taken from Janira and unlocks the door. Opening it, the party sees rows of low shelves laden with scrolls, books, and the odd relic line this well-lit hall. At its far end stands a small fountain that emits a small amount of steam—enough to keep this dry room’s humidity constant. Six decorative columns, each one densely carved with animal imagery and fanciful whorls, stand along the walls, and a pair of lounging lizard statues rest on a dais at the north end of the room.