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Zurnzal's back!
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The Hall of Blades is as ostentatious as the rest of the Aspis Building in Ostenso, which serves as the headquarters for Consortium operations worldwide. Thousands of swords and knives of every size and curvature hang from racks, populate glass-covered display cases, and even constitute the frameworks of a trio of deadly chandeliers.
With an expression halfway between bitter and bored, a Chelish man in a richly embroidered jacket silently assesses each of his agents in turn over steepled fingers before taking a glass of wine in one hand. “Let it never be said that the Aspis Consortium lacks a sense of humor. Fortunately for some of you,” he adds before swirling the glass and taking a sip, “it also has an underreported appreciation for mercy."
“It is now apparent that the Korholm Agenda, a rogue faction within the Consortium, has been provoking the Pathfinder Society into violence against us, all the while maneuvering for a power play whose details are above your pay grade. We’ve come to an understanding with the Society that by sharing intelligence about these upstarts, we can better crush them and get back to the ugly business of clawing at each other’s throats. Pathfinder agents recently uncovered troubling evidence that the Korholm Agenda has been siphoning hard-earned gold from our accounts to fund an operation in eastern Nidal. Take note: stealing from the Consortium is a bad idea because a powerful Patron — me — will send a team of armed professionals — that’s you — to make an example by destroying everything you hold dear.”
Mr. Ratarion pauses for effect before continuing. “This Nidalese facility is hidden within or beneath a plantation known as Wirholt’s Rictus, with which the Consortium does business twice yearly. I’ve never received reports of a clandestine operation beneath those hills, so they’ve no doubt found ways to hide their presence. Your job is to ferret them out; secure any records that can inform me to their plans, contacts, or other safe houses; kill any of the traitorous operatives, and leave their hideout a smoldering ruin that sends a clear signal to their friends. Do whatever you can to avoid raising the alarm. If they’re smart — and assume they are — they’re also prepared to destroy key evidence if they suspect they’re under attack.”
He pauses in a moment of self-reflection. “I did say something about mercy, didn’t I? Perhaps that was an exaggeration. Regardless, do you have any questions? I hope you have questions. The last team that didn’t ask questions flubbed their mission and found themselves tragically unemployed — fatally so, in some cases.”
"And what of Wirholt's Rictus... should we be taking pains to make sure the 'smoldering ruins' doesn't include the plantation above, or does it not matter?"
"I don't much care what becomes of the place but the installation below is your first priority."
"If they are defying the Consortium's orders, they will pay. Simple." Eramay says, her anger at the betrayal apparent. "Would you prefer we kill the leaders of the upstarts, or bring them back to the Consortium's finest for... questioning?"
"I don't think prisoners are necessary", Ratarion says coldly.
"So everything we know about the traitors is that the operate secretly at Wirholt's Rictus? Is there any information about how many of them there, what skills they have or any info that may help us to infiltrate?"
"I'll make sure these Korholm types don't make any more... Accidents."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Rataji glances at his boots when their patron mentions mercy. "Is any of the stolen property of an especially high priority to repossess?" He takes a moment to consider his past experience with the Korholm Agenda.
"So everything we know about the traitors is that the operate secretly at Wirholt's Rictus? Is there any information about how many of them there, what skills they have or any info that may help us to infiltrate?"
"I'm afraid not. That's why I've hired all of you. Assuming your dossiers are accurate: you're all talented, experienced, or both."
Rataji glances at his boots when their patron mentions mercy. "Is any of the stolen property of an especially high priority to repossess?" He takes a moment to consider his past experience with the Korholm Agenda.
"That remains unknown but I expect anything especially valuable should be returned to the Consortium."
After a moment of reflection Rataji recalls hearing rumors about the plantation. It's known to grow plants that are used for a mix of medicine and recreational drugs. Being in Nidal 'recreation' has some darker tendencies.
Several days of travel later the party arrives at the location of Wirholt's Rictus in Eastern Nidal at the foot of the Mindspin Mountains.
The sparse woods surrounding the plantation provide enough cover to remain out of sight but not enough to easily approach unseen. From a distance the party's able to make out the plantation's ~40 workers and the dozen buildings that surround a stately manor.
- The Manor
Greenhouses
Warehouses
Processing Facilities
Residences
Smokehouses
Kuthite Shrine
Threshing Yard
"ENtrances to the hidden facility could be anywhere... Marching in as a coordinated force might not be the best tactic here. Perhaps we should split up, learn what we can and rendezvous after to share what we've learned and decide on a plan of infiltration. I'd like to search the manor... even if there's no entrance there, there might be an office with records or some such."
Eramay heads over to the Residences, posing as one of the myriad of supervisors at the hideout.
"You there, what are you doing sitting on your laurels! Get to work! You don't want me to report you to the boss!"
Zurnzal nods to the suggestion of splitting up. When all agree he onky comments:
"Processing Facilities"
He buys some decent clothes and uses disguise kit to mask his scars and to look better overall. Zurnzal then comes to Wirholt’s Rictus posing himself as merchant.
"Show me what do you have and HOW do you get it. I need only the best goods!"
Shohiraj rolls her eyes as folks scatter without waiting to set up a rendezvous point for after their investigations. "Oh my they are impetuous.. hopefully we can all just meet back here after... and I hope they think of it." she mutters...
She heads for the house, using whatever she can for cover when she gets close enough to observe the building and determine the best way to enter. Once she figures out whether to enter via stealth or disguise, she'll make her entrance... If servants and others come and go freely, she'll disguise herself and enter via the front door... otherwise, she'll use stealth and sneak in a window.
or
Once inside, she'll give the place a thorough search, especially anything that looks like a study or office, looking for notes, records, anything that might show where there is an entrance to the hidden facility - or seeking the entrance itself.
Rataji casts disguise self to appear like a paler, paunchy and forgettable visiting merchant and visits the Greenhouses to check out the plantation's herbal wares. Especially those of a medicinal variety...
The workers unlucky enough to cross her path shirk away from Eramay as she approaches the residences. Her posture and tone are convincing enough that none dare challenge her authority.
It appears that only rank and file works live within these three barracks-styled houses. A smaller building to the southwest appears to function as a kitchen.
***
Moving with practiced ease, Falth avoids the multitude of workers apparently unseen.
The warehouses appears to be the principle storage site for the plantation’s tools, its food supply, baled leaves, and refined products. The northern wing also serves as an impromptu barn for the few horses and livestock.
***
Zurnzal's disguise isn't quite right and he earns more than a few curious glances as he makes his way across the compound. He manages to reach the processing facilities unmolested but it's clear there's eyes on him.
These two buildings contain millstones, cauldrons, pestles, delicate glassware, and more. The plantation employs five skilled pharmacists versed in testing soil conditions, pulverizing leaves, distilling tinctures, rolling cigars, and a wealth of other tasks to create the finished products exported across Nidal.
***
Shohiraj's disguise proves good enough for her to move around the plantation without being stopped or earning too much attention but right away she notices something is off about her mark. To start, the gates are entirely unguarded.
Unfortunately, she quickly discovers that they are locked.
***
Under the veil of his spell Rataji is able to easily reach his destination unnoticed.
The trio of greenhouses are made of wood and glass that looks to shelters the most sensitive plants and fosters the seedlings for other species until they can be transplanted outside.
Shohiraj attempts to pick the lock on the gates to gain entry.
Shohiraj skillfully picks the lock to the outer gate revealing what's behind it.
Flowering thorn bushes grow from elevated planters in this courtyard, whose central feature is a rectangular pond flanked by eyeless angels.
Double doors mark the entrance to the manor. A pair of smaller side entrances flank the double doors.
Zurnzal looks around carefully while watching the production process.
Eramay looks around while continuing to bark out orders.
During her bouts of yelling Eramay overhears some of her underlings speak.
She learns that there are several concealed pipes that rise from the ground throughout the plantation, and workers occasionally hear faint voices rising from these small ports. Five years ago, a picker called Etan asked Temarra about one of the pipes. He disappeared into the manor and was never seen again. Everyone else has wisely feigned ignorance about the pipes ever since. The pipes are about a foot in diameter—large enough for ventilation, but too small (and obstructed by grates) to climb down.
***
After a couple minutes Falth manages to rig a violent and noisy trap.
***
By milling about the processing facilities for a bit Zurnzal learns a bit about the plantation.
Wirholt’s Rictus specializes in five cash crops: harrowleaf, saw-edge heather, pathos berries, night nettle tea, and somnus root—all of them medicinal plants. Most of the crop is processed in the two central buildings, where it is turned into pain-inducing chemicals in high demand in Nisroch, Pangolais, and Ridwan.
***
Shohiraj notices nothing else out of the ordinary in the courtyard. The doors leading into the manor do not appear trapped.
***
Rataji messes with the skylights for a bit but he's unable to get them loose. This might be a task for someone else.
***
Shohiraj will attempt entry into the manor, listening at one of the side doors before trying to open it, moving on to the other side door if the first one is occupied.
Once inside, she will use stealth to move about the manor unseen, searching for an office, library, den and in that room, any information about the entrance to the hidden facility, OR alternatively, looking for the entrance itself.
oh yeah... stealth to move about the place unseen:
IF, and only IF, there is no other option to avoid discovery, she will use her potion of invisibility to remain unseen.
The moment Shohiraj touches the door a piercing alarm fills the air.
Shohiraj will find some cover, hide and observe the reaction to the alarm, remaining hidden until whatever the response is is over... Then she'll slip away unobserved hopefully.
Two minutes later a woman arrives at the manor gates breathless and cursing. Her cursing rises in volume when she finds the outer gates unlocked.
When she enters the courtyard Shohiraj can finally see her - a tall thin woman bearing the piercings and dark garb a devout Kuthite. She immediately stows a ring of worn keys on her person the moment she's beyond the gate.
Seeing no sign of the intruder the woman rushes to the double doors to see if they've been tampered with.
When things die down and the woman goes in the house.. Shohiraj will attempt to slip out again... unlocking the gate if necessary... or climbing over it, but only after being sure that the woman (or a minion) is not watching from a window.
Shohiraj manages to slip away unnoticed.
***
Still in his disguise, Rataji informs Shohiraj and the others. "I noticed a good place to set up a trap in the Greenhouses, but I wasn't able to rig it correctly." He shrugs, looking dismayed over his failure.
"The house is well protected... the gates are locked, though that is easily dealt with, but the doors are alarmed.. I didn't even get inside... but I think anything that warrants such protections, indeed also warrants further investigation."
Falth grins. "I set a nasty mess in the warehouse... I can handle your greenhouse idea."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"There is nothibg of interest at processing facilities. It consists of 2 buildings where various medical plants such as harrowleaf, saw-edge heather, pathos berries, night nettle tea, and somnus root are turned into pain-inducing chemicals in demand in Nisroch, Pangolais, and Ridwan."
Zurznal pauses for a few moments and continues
"But the workers were quite suspicious about me. Too many of glances they earned to me."