PFS - PbP Gameday IV: #6-05 Slaveships of Absalom (lvl 1-5) (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

Trying to swing down at the woman again, Y'serid's blade catches a beam on the ship, and snags.

"Damn this boat!" he yells in frustration.
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Having had some time to catch her breath, Sabha breaths in the elements around her and shoots a stream of fire at the woman.

Elemental Ray, RT, -melee, -cover: 1d20 + 4 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 - 4 - 4 = 5
fire dmg: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
5 of 7

In her haste to gather her thoughts she almost certainly misses.

Sahba fires a ray at the woman but ends up missing badly

The woman then takes a step back into her cabin, pulls out a potion and drinks it

Provoking from Jaxal

"See you around, I'm getting out of here"

and disapears from sight

init
Party
Not the party

Damage Captain: 24

Jaxal uses his inspiration to try and make this attack count.

AoO Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 5 + (6) = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"Hah!"

Teric tries to see how to open the shackles. "Do you know if there's a key? Preferably not on the Captain there?" He glances back just in time to see her disappear. He turns back to the gnome. "What's your name?"

Having to angle his attack around the door throws of Jaxal's attack just slightly and he ends up hitting the frame of the door (doesn't hit)

The slave answer Teric's question
"Captain Wardak does indeed carry the keys around with her at all time"

The gnome answer"My name is Rilla Lavon, pleased to make your aquintance. Would you be so kind as to free us now? If you are not to busy doing something else"

init
Party
Not the party

As Jaxal attacks his aim is slightly throw of as he weapon scrapes the side of the doorway (doesn't hit AC)

At Teric questions the slaves answer;"Captain Wardak has the keys"

And the gnome answer;"My name is Rilla Lavon, pleased to make your acquaintance. Now if you are no too busy with something else, could I implore you to free us now?"

Rilla holds up her shackled hands

init
Party
Not the party

Jaxal continues to attack, even though the target is being elusive.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Assuming that doesn't beather the stealth, so Jaxal attacks in the square of last known position, namely right inside the door.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Miss Chance < 50%: 1d100 ⇒ 92

Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

With a lucky strike Jaxal hits something and his weapon encounters resistance in mid air and when he pulls it back he notices that there's some blood at the end of his weapon.

He also notices a sound that seems like it could have come from someone hitting the floor..as you take a closer look you notice a small pool of blood on the floor that's quickly getting bigger

Out of combat

As you search the captain (once she turns back visible) you find;

A set of keys (which indeed fit the slaves manacles), a leather armor, 2 master work kukri's, a potion, an empty bottle, 2 alchemical fire vials,2 tanglefoot bags, a pair of emerald earrings and a pair of gold earrings.

The other pirate had an alchemist's fire, sunrod, tanglefoot bag, thunderstone, a studded leather armor, rapier, shortbow with 20 arrows, masterwork flute and 13 gp

Sahba gets the manacles unlocked, and hurries them to the waiting dinghy.

She sends a party member to go check the captain's quarters for more evidence (or treasure).

At Sahba's suggestion, Prospero goes to the Captain's cabin and carefully searches for anything of interest.

Prospero is looking for valuables, of course, but he is also looking for ledgers or other documents that might give insight into the noble houses these "scrying" slaves were sold to.

Jaxal assists in the search.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

whoops! A perception check would have been good. At this point, I will attempt to aid Jaxal. Here is the roll:

perception aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Now I roll a 20!

Teric helps Sahba free the prisoners. He asks them, "What do you know about the Captain's business? Were any of you subjected to a magical spell or ritual?"

Y'serid keeps his sword out just in case, and nods to Jaxal, "Well done, my friend. Your ferocity made air bleed! That has to be a first."

Chuckling he, will follow Prospero tot he Captains cabin to aid in his search for any useful documents or items.

Perception Aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
+2 to Prosperos searching!

Jaxal wipes his blade, and gives Y'serid a grin and a blade-salute. "It is indeed! Make sure you tell your friends, Jaxal blade is so sharp, it can make the air bleed!"

As you search the captains cabin you immediately notice some ash and scraps of burnt papers ..which seems to have been frozen solid and are not thawing. You manage to find one corner of a letter signed “Muhlia.”

But other then some knick-knacks and clothes it seems that every pirate here carries everything they own of value on their bodies, it seems they don't trust the other pirates...go figure.
You don't find anything else when you search the rest of the ship

The other 3 slaves don't know anything that helps you; they got drugged and taken aboard the ship while they were in a bar somewhere. They are very grateful for your helping them and Rilla will be sure to mention you in her own chronicles - once she gets around to writing them.

Rilla is able to tell you about the time she spent in the Okeno slave markets on Stonespire Island, confirming several interactions with a
heavily veiled humanoid woman who forcibly took blood samples on two occasions and suggests you take her to the Venture-Captain for a debriefing

What do you want to do now?

"Muhlia... could be a clue, but it could also be unrelated. I suggest we do take this lady back to the V-C, and maybe ask around to see if this name is familiar to anyone. It seems to be all we have."

Sahba hurries the slaves to the waiting dinghy. She pours her flasks of oil along the lower and upper decks, then sets them alight with a flame splash (as acid splash, but with fire) as they row back to the docks.

She smiles as she watches the slavers' ship burn.

She concurs with Rila that a trip to the Venture Captain is in order. After that (or before, should the part insist), Sahba journeys back to the noble who first hired the Pathfinders to report on what they found.

Prospero nods at Jaxal's suggestion. I agree, let's go see the Venture Captain. We can talk more with the Pathfinder we freed and ask about the name 'Muhlia". I also took the frozen papers, in case we can thaw them out and get more information out of them

Prospero scoops up the frozen documents, in case they can be thawed out later. He then moves quickly to catch up with the others. It wouldn't do to be left behind on a ship full of dead slavers. And what is that smell? Oil? And didn't Sahba say something earlier about burning the ship? Time to go!

Teric nods as Rilla explain that a strange woman took blood from her. "That could likely be the start of a ritual." He casts a detection spell to examine the gnome for any magical auras.

He calls his companions away from Rilla's presence. "I suggest we debrief the VC away from Rilla. Until we are certain she is clean of scrying sensors, we need to be very careful what we say and do around her."

While getting the slaves tot he dingy, Y'serid chuckles at Sahba.

"I agree we should speak with the Venture Captain."

Teric doesn't detect any magic on the slaves..at least not at this time, maybe later the blood could indeed be used to enact some sort of remote spellcasting.

Sahba burns down the ship...which draws some odd looks from the pilot waiting in the dingy..but she doesn't mention anything at all.

As you arrive at the Venture-Captain Ambrus Valisn he listens to Teric's suggestion to debrief away from Rilla, but decides to get a first hand story from Rilla. But he comments on Teric's clever idea.

Rilla recounts the same story she told you guys again and after she finishes Rilla inquires as to the fate of the other Pathfinders she was on assignment with, Venture-Captain Valsin closes his eyes and slowly shakes his head. “No contact,” is all he says on the matter.

"Maybe you should go update Lady Darchana and get her up to speed on what has been going on"

Teric nods. "Ah yes, the Lady should be updated on our progress. So any of these slaves could become scrying nexuses at any point? Even our friend Rilla here against her own will?"

Knowledge, Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Any way to break the connection?

After Teric finishes, Prospero adds, Venture-Captain, Rilla, I wonder if either of you has ever heard of someone named Muhlia? We found some correspondence with this name on it in the Slaver-Captain's cabin

Prospero shows the letter with the name "Muhlia" on it to anyone who is interested. He will also check to see if any of the other documents have thawed out and are still readable.

"Seems like a waste of a ship..." Jaxal mutters, as the ship burns. "I just hope we didn't miss anything."

--------------

"It is time to go speak with Lady Darchana, but I wish we had more to bring her. Still, maybe this name, Muhlia, means something to her?"

After the corruption of slavery, only fire could cleanse the memories, horrors, and spirits that would have imbued the very core of the ship itself. Perhaps now many of those that lost their lives in captivity on that ship can rest a bit easier. Sahba certainly feels better. It wasn't the slaver she *really* wanted to burn, but it was *a* slaver, and that will be sufficient for now. The time will come for the other.

Old memories clearly clouding her features, Sahba looks away from the flames. "Off to Lady Darchana's, then?"

Teric tries to come up with a way to not let the blood samples serve a as connection, but all he can come up with is kill the person the blood belonged too..which might be a bit drastic.

None of the papers are readable any more, even the ones that haven't been burned to a crisp seem to have suffered other damage which causes them to be waterlogged or have the ink turn into a blob, the only scrap that had anything on it resembling words was the one with "Muhlia" on it in a corner.

The Venture-Captain mulls over the name; "That can almost only refer to Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri..we'll have to look further into this"

Most likely a future scenario

You make your way of to Lady Darchana's estate once more where you are allowed to enter and are brought to a den where the Lady is waiting

"And what progress have you made in your..investigation?" she asks you

Teric bows to the Lady. "We have recovered the slaves from the ship, though the Captain fought to her death. One of them was indeed a Pathfinder and she tells of having her blood taken from her forcibly by a veiled woman in the Okeno slave markets on Stonespire Island. It's likely the same happened to your servant. Blood can be used as a scrying focus and there's very little the target can do about it."

"We also found some scrap of paper with the name 'Muhlia' on it." He shrugs. "Unless it means something significant to you, it would seem the investigation now leads to the slave markets."

Y'serid corroborates what Teric explains to the Lady.

"No much of the information could be recovered, most of the documents were badly taken care of and damaged. The Slavemarkets do seem to be our next stop. Is there any public transportation or transportation that could be provided?"

Sahba nods her assent at her companions' words. Diplomacy hasn't been her strong suit today, so she's content to keep her mouth shut and tries to stay in the background unnoticed.

Upon entering the presence of Lady Darchana, Prospero executes a stately bow, and says My Lady

Prospero has nothing to add to what Teric and Y'serid have already said. He also concurs with the plan on finding this "veiled lady" at the Okeno slave market.

My apologies for the late update. I thought I had posted yesterday..but seems I hadn't

Listening to your recounting of the events she seems pleased with your success but deeply troubled by the implications. Blood samples taken from slaves does not bode well.

I'm afraid I can't get you to the slave markets at this time, but maybe something can be arranged with your Venture-Captain
Most likely something for a next scenario, not for this one

Lady Darchana has the bounty payment on Captain Wardak and the At Sea authorized. She addresses you once more before dismissing you: “Pathfinders, you have done a great service to Absalom today. The full extent, understandably, may never be widely known or recognized by the sleeping masses, but know that the Pathfinder Society can count on
me as a friend and ally, and I hope that I may call upon you again in the future should the need arise.”

Is there anything else you want to do?

Jaxal bows formally and deeply. "Until next time, Lady Darchana."

Teric nods and bows. "My lady, I shall always be at your service. Perhaps we can do business again some other time. I believe your ventures shall prove fruitful." He winks at the woman, despite the impropriety.