You head over to the repository.
There´s already a group of Pathfinders standing on watch. They are gathered around a beautyful woman with feathers instead of hairs and eyebrows. They seem discontent with their current mission.
You can overhear their conversation already while approaching them. It revolves around them being too good and valuable to just stand on guard on minor duties and how incompetent the VC´s are to make such a decision.
As you approach, their attention shifts towards you and the woman adresses you: You there! Recruits! You must be our change of guard! It´s about time you come so we can finaly get to contribute something meaningful!
|
** spoiler omitted **
Mavin plants the end of her ranseur in the ground. "In the midst of this chaos you would abandon your post and risk further mayhem? No, you were assigned to this spot for a reason, so do your duty! The Venture-Captains have enough on their plate right now without needing to deal with mutineers!"
|
Finlos steps in and adds"Yeah and besides, what could be more important than guarding the collection of artifacts that the Society has worked so hard to gather. It sounds to me like those secrets may be the very reason for this attack. I'm sure you were carefully chosen for this task specifically because of your skill."
Why don’t you guard the stone building with no doors and windows? We’ll capture that giant two-headed vulture! is Dara Immlin first response, but Mavin´s firm apperance visibly cows her.
Allright you win. We will stay here and guard this important building even if we run the risk of dying through boredom! There will be other chances for us to show who´s best here. We will claim the laurels for protecting the artifacts though!
Her men agree to the notion and for now you saved the situation. They will stay and guard the repository. Where do you want to head next? There are three other trouble spots nearby, the front gate, the escort detial and the center house.
Panic? Me? Shelyn? Get me out safely?
Amidst a group of armored and weathered field agents, a leather clad dwarf with a very long beard and a large dwarven waraxe on his back eyes you up and down, seemingly not pleased with the way you approach them.
I’m quite confident that Professor Nigel Aldain can find his own way to the front gate. What gives you the right to order us about? You’re no venture-captains! Who are you anyway that you think you can order me, Shorvan Anvilhammer around?
You can overcome this issue with a successful Bluff check, or point out other instances in the Society’s history when temporary measures were taken in an emergency.
|
"My apologies, I had no idea I would be escorting the famous Professor Nigel Aldain. We were tasked with escorting our guests off grounds by Venture Captain Janiff Ivulxtin, who is understandably busy with other matters. While I am sure you are fully capable of finding your own way out. We would be horrible hosts if we did not supply you with some sort of escort." Kevin says with a bow.
You´re sent directly from Skyreach? By Venture Captain Janiff Ivulxtin? Is that a dwarf? Never heard of him before, but you seem credible enough. Good. If that´s the orders of a Venture Captain, who am i to break the chain of command? Men, let´s go!
He waves his men to follow him and they wander off.
Where do you want to go next?
The Front Gate and the Center House are left.
So you head to the gate...
THE FRONT GATE
You see five pathfinders gathered around an armored halfling women standing before the gate. On the other side you can hear the loud voices of many people knocking at the door, stating they are the City Watch, demanding entrance and threatening to tear down the door to see what´s happening in there.
The Pathfinders look insecure and talk to themselves.
What should we do? There are so many of them!
Meesha we are only six!
What if the guard won’t take no for an answer?
Can I be arrested? Will someone post my bail?
Maybe a venture captain should be doing this?
They need to be reminded this is a contest of wills not a brawl with the authorities. A good pep talk achieves this, as does a reminder that the Grand Lodge was built in the Foreign Quarter for a reason; it has some of the privileges of an embassy. Meesha needs to be coached to tell the guards that if they want to tread across the campus, they’ll
need a signed warrant from Lord Gyr first.
|
|
Mavin steps up to the gate, addressing the oncoming guards. "If the city watch barges in here now, we'll have too many cooks in the kitchen, and innocent people will get hurt. If you want to help, secure the perimeter outside the Grand Lodge, where you actually have jurisdiction. This is a convocation of adventurers, we know how to handle ourselves!"
Uh you´re so my hero half-elf! What´s your name? Yo´re so confident! i wanna be like you! Maybe we can meet later?
Meesha, the halfing fighter in charge of the group here, seems to be taken by Mavin. The others giggle and she straightens a bit.
Of course you are right. We can take over from here. Thanks a lot for your help!
She shouts over the door: If you wanna come in here, you need an offical warrant from lord Gyr! We have some rights here and we know them!
You can take care of the last mission here or go to another area.
One is red, the other yellow, there are still missions in both.
You march off to the Center House, the last hot spot that was pointed out to you.
THE CENTER HOUSE
Seemingly, a bunch of Pathfinders has lost their nerves here too.
From their ongoing conversation, you can hear they are discouraged, doubting if the life of a Pathfinder is still for them.
One person in particular stands out:
I just recovered from the ghoul fever i caught in Ustalav! Nearly died from that! Now such a situation again. I don´t know if i´m the right person for that.
Others reply:
What is this house anyway? I heard it´s haunted!
Uh we shouldn´t go near there then! Can´t someone else guard it? With more experience?
Perhaps if it´s haunted, it doesn´t need to be guarded at all! The haunt will guard it!
You succeed in convincing them to stay and guard the center house!
Yeah, yeah, we should not remain here in danger!
Oh you mean we should guard this from danger? Mh Probably you are right. And it might even be safer here than elsewhere.
You succeed at convincing them and their backs straighten a bit while the relax and get comfortable with their guard position.
Suddenly a wounded servant comes running along in panic.
The Mausoleum! They´re attacking the Mausuleum! We need some help there!
Panting, he stops right in front of you. He has a black spot and a cut on his forehead and seems to have fallen into some mud.
The center house guards look at him, then at you:
Too bad we need to stay here and guard the center house. You look able to help them!
Another one joins in:
Yeah you should go and take care of this! We can´t leave our post!
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
An angry half-orc saunters up to you - "Fellow pathfinders! Keep your spirits up and your enemies under your boots! Should you need any assistance, blow this whistle and help will find you!"
She hands you a war whistle, turns away and charges off roaring in the general direction of a pack of animals.
|
|
A dull hum emanates from Skyreach as the ground trembles, trees sway, and glass shatters. A moment later, most of Skyreach’s northwest tower tears free from the keep; however, rather than crash to the ground, a visible aura holds the structure aloft and causes it to float above the Grand Lodge. Even the shower of stone blocks floats, swirling around the airborne tower in a nimbus of speeding debris.
You arrive at the mausuleum...
This enormous, columned stone structure is both temple and fortress. Two wings flank an open courtyard. The imposing structure is adjacent to a thick copse of trees.
YOu find yourselves in the Courtyard. This is Mausoleum’s main entrance.
It was a scene of destruction a few years ago, and what the Society rebuilt was smashed again. Shattered statues and religious sculptures pertaining to death and the afterlife are strewn about the courtyard. The eastern stone doors are shut.
The bodies of two caretakers are slumped to the sides of the western doors.
Map.