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A Varisian man in full plate with a lovely looking dull grey rapier enters the location that has not been disclosed yet, a drunken swagger to his steps. An ornate tankard is in his right hand, and he takes a deep drink from it. "Good day, my friends. We about to head out on another adventure?"
A Capuchin monkey scampers in after him. "Hey, little buddy! Where did you come from? Done talking to the old elf?"
Wark Wark!
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A plume of smoke erupts from the corner of the room. As the smoke settles, the form of a hooded man wearing black and red finery appears, a silver unholy symbol of Asmodeus hanging proudly from his neck. He steps out of the smoke before removing his hood, revealing a horned, crimson-skinned man with striking features. In simple terms--he is devilishly handsome.
I do hope Iorae arrives soon, he muses to himself, her hourly billing begins...now.
He scans the room, notices the other occupants, and smiles.
"Gentlemen..."
With a snap of his fingers he produces a pair of business cards, which he quickly offers to the other two in the room. The card itself has a subtle, off-white coloring and has a tasteful thickness to it. Closer inspection reveals a watermark in the shape of Asmodeus's symbol.
"I'm terribly sorry--my zest for dimension door theatrics has left me bereft of sensibility. Afficus Tynch, Esquire, delighted to make your acquaintance." he says before giving a slight but respectful bow.
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Gunari takes an over-staged bow at Afficus Tynch, after that entry. He attempts to mimic a Taldan noble's tone and accent, failing badly.
"Well, good day to you, Mr. Esquire sir. Didn't realize we'd be in with such auspicious company! So, if I may deign to belittle you with the offer, would you care for a taste of Cayden's finest? That is if the Prince of Hell allows it, of course."
He looks to the rest of the room, "Now, mind you, I know that this brew is the finest you'll find in this room, and that goomba that invited us here didn't provide. Luckily, I can. Of course, you are all invited to partake... the Drunken Hero wouldn't have it any other way, youknowwahdimean?"
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"Ah--a Caydenite! To deny our indulgences is to deny the very essence of humanity!" exclaims Afficus, masking his disdain for the accidental god through sarcasm.
Well I certainly don't have anything better to do, he posits, an intoxicated state may make adventuring with this rabble a tolerable affair....so be it.
"I typically abstain from ales, preferring the wines of Chelish vintners. However, it would be rude of me to reject your offer, as our 'host' has done very little for us outside of an invitation." he flashes a smile. "I will try your 'finest'!
Lest it be a misnomer...
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"Exactly!" Gunari pulls a tankard off of the chain on his belt.
"והגיבור השיכור אמר, "יהי בירה ', ולא היה, והוא ראה כי טוב."
The tankard suddenly full of ale, crisp and fresh. Gunari hands the tankard over to the tiefling, after carefully spilling a small bit on the floor, in thanks to the Accidental God.
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On time, Venture-Captain Shevala Iorae enters the Water Palace with a sense of purpose. She nods in greeting, then loses no time in explaining the mission at hand.
"Your task is rather delicate. The Decemvirate has something of a love-hate relationship with one of Avistan's most notorious adventurers, the sly yet charming Eando Kline. You have heard of him, yes? Kline's life is in danger. While the threat is likely well-deserved, it may be more than he and the mercenaries he has hired to handle. And since he can hardly look to the authorities, he's pulled his last favor from Valsin. Find out what the nature of the threat is and do what he asks. I have faith that Eando is one step ahead of any plot against him, but he needs our help, and you will give it to him. Above all, keep him alive. While you would do well to withhold your trust, he has been of immense value to the Society and we have something of a...history. I'll see you again once you have resolved this little problem for us. Oh, and take my wayfinder. He's expecting the team I sent to come bearing it. And remember - I expect that wayfinder back!"
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Seeing Raven walking into the room, Gunari goes over to him and says, "Raven, old chum! How you doing?! Keeping yourself out of trouble?" He listens to the mumbling, "Well, maybe not. Hope you are well, in any case. Need a beer?"
"Well, that seems pretty straight-forward, Mr. Venture-Captain, sir. Find Eando Kline, keep him alive, return your wayfinder." His face screws up as he struggles to think of things to ask. "Um, who is Eando Kline? I think I should know him, but I think I've just missed him a couple of times."
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Afficus takes a timid sip of the beer, surprised to find more than palatable. He raises his cup to the Varisian.
"My compliments, Gunari, this may be the finest ale I've ever tasted.
This must be that junkie Burgleton's always prattling on about....then again, his penchant for skullduggery has brought me quite a bit of business...
"Mister Raven, I presume?"
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Venture-Captain Iorae looks at Gunari over her heaving bosom, "Mister?"
She listens intently to the questions, "You needn't find Kline, he is holed up in Torch's old villa, the Crescent Manor in the Petal District. From there he's been able to set up guards and pay to have the wards enhanced. He has not moved since he last contacted us."
She claps her hands together, "Good, since there's no need for questions, on your way!" She gathers her things and leaves.
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Denbora scowls at Gunari. First he lets his monkey crawl on me and then the m!*~$%%%+#*! doesn't even offer me a beer?
Kline? Wasn't he mixed up in some business up in Uigher, or however the damn orcs spell it? Maybe Rahadoum? Pfft. Whatever. Let's go. Any of you got things you want me to carry? Breath of Life scroll or anything like that? I have an empty spring loaded wrist sheath. Also, which one of you arrow attractors thinks he might get in trouble the most? I can cast Sacred Bond which allows me to deliver touch spells to the linked person for the next 100 minutes. Maybe cast it when we get to this Torch Villa."
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"Why yes - I can hand these off to you for use." Kain hands over a scroll of breath of life, wands of cure light wounds, and of lesser restoration. And then an oil of Fly. "For the bird in case of an emergency..." He nods respectfully.
He takes a second look of Denbora and comments honestly "Nice Armor and Warhammer. Very, very impressive for a Gnome."
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While shoving Kain's items into various pouches and wrist sheths, "Damn straight. The f*!+ you expect me to wear? You expect me to dress like the f#*@ing hippy over there? Denbora jerks a thumb at Raven. "Torag expects me to kick ass every now and then, more than those a%&&#%+s who worship Brigh."
"I went toe to toe with a motherf*&$ing Runelord. Krune? Maybe ya heard of him? I even dispelled one the douchebag's spells. Yeah, that's right. Me."
"Let's hit the f$#!ing road.
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As you approach the Manor, the tension is clear in the air. Once you pull out the wayfinder for inspection, the guards begrudgingly let you in. They walk you through the house to what appears to be an unused bathhouse. Several tables have been set up among the empty bathtubs. Rather than addressing the matter of planned attack on his life, Eando seems to be in the midst of conducting regular business.
He gestures for you to come forward. "Ah! There you are! Your timing is fortuitous."
Pointing to a well-dressed associate on the other side of the large table he says, "This blubbering fool here has failed me. I was forced to come here before finishing my last round of business where I acquired four relics from the north. A source of mine has revealed that the seller has been bragging that he secretly sold me replicas. He will pay for that."
Eando smiles while continuing to talk, "But words aren't proof, and I need to prove each of these items is fake before the seller disappears. You would have thought that the most expensive sage in Absalom here could help me, but no, he's been worthless. Not being unfamiliar with Pathfinder intuition though, I'm hoping for your help. Now don't just stand there, take a close look and see what you can come up with."
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"Yo, Eando, how you doin'? Been a long time since I worked with someone who knew da' bid'ness. So, some goomba sold you some fakes? What's up wit' dat?" Gunari moves up to look at the items in question.
"So, you know that ain't why we come here, right? We're supposed to keep you alive, in case someone wants to stick a shiv into your gullet, or sumfin."
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Eando waves his hand a little dismissively at the concern for his life. "You needn't worry, I'm quite safe here."
Before you on the table are four items, Eando points to each while giving a brief description.
"That's supposedly the Shield of Varovan III, quite a find if it's real."
A large ruby-red shield with an Ustalavic crest.
"A genuine piece of Tarasque hide! Can you believe it?"
A foot-long, jagged fragment or bone spur weighing over 100 pounds.
"The Cracked Skull of Nirmath, a simple trapper who rose to unique the disparate peoples of the war-torn wilderness of Nirmathas druring the Freedom War of 4648 to 4655."
The jagged fractures on the back of the human skull bears testimony to Nirmath's violent end.
"And lastly the Bloodsword Declaration, the document that initiated the months-long Battle of Bloodsworn Vale and the near-extermination of the Shoanti in 4396."
The ancient-looking scroll bears 10 signatures and seals of Cheliax's political elite including King Haliad of Cheliax, Field Marshall Korvosa, and Duke Sopaerin.
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Upon leaving the lodge, the party finds a large dark yellow axebeak being tended by a young man in armor. Kain nods to him and easily hefts himself stop the bird, graceful as can be. His squire jogs along with the party.
Upon arrival at the manor, the Eagle Knight gracefully dismounts - as unlikely as it is with full plate, he moves as if wearing no armor at all. The squire takes the reins.
The only piece of interest is the shield but says nothing.
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Eando smiles as the group silently begins to browse the items. It is clear he is judging your every move.
Gunari and Raven examine the shield thoroughly.
While the two look over every inch of the shield, Denbora lifts the mighty hunk o' Tarrasque and looks it over. While doing so Afficus plays backseat explorer while avoiding getting his hands dirty.
After looking at the shield, Raven carefully examines the skull with Gunari's help.
Lastly, after several minutes Raven moves over to the scroll and reviews its contents.
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"I was just assuming that you would know what you were purchasing. Maybe your sage here could answer the same question. Me, I think I was out drinking... I mean praying... when I was supposed to be in history class, so I don't know much about this Nirmath. What's your name, anyway, sage?" He pours himself a little drink, and tips his tankard at the sage.
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"Magic missile?" Afficus rolls his eyes.
"that would serve our purpose, but inefficiently. Any simple ray would accomplish the same desired effect. Observe."
Ray of frost on the carapace.
"Dont just stand there like a stick in the mud. Make yourself useful--my companions boots need shining. Prestidigitation! Chop chop!"
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The sage sneers at Gunari, "What does my name matter. You and your friends," the amount of hatred in the word is palpable, "seem to have this covered." Once Afficus verbally assaults the man, you see him completely shut down, consumed in nothing but anger, "Pathfinders..." you hear him mutter under his breath.
Raven continues to look at the items before him.
Skull: Nothing more.
Scroll: Nothing more.
As he is going over the items Afficus blasts the shard with a ray of frost. The the section of the shard hit turns blackish, clearly damaged by the blast.
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"Terrasque carapace would never react in this manner, Eando. This is almost certainly a fraud." He clears his throat before continuing, "I would be honored to draft a formal complaint against the merchant who sold you these goods. Pro bono, of course."
"You have failed at the task for which you have been hired. To make matters worse, you have also demonstrated your complete inability to follow instructions.."
"Please tell me that the rest of your staff is capable, unlike this incompetent buffoon," he says, gesturing to the sage.
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"Eando, it appears that the skull here used to belong to a full-blooded human, who died from blunt trauma to the back of the head. Nothing particularly outstanding about it, but I was trying to ascertain the known racial qualities of Nirmath, in case he wasn't fully human, or something. Can't quite remember it myself..."
He contemplates a moment, "So, why is your sage here so hostile? I ask a simple question, and he completely flips out."
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Eando looks pensive for a moment, "Well, that could have gone better, but it could have gone much worse. You have an interesting approach to problem solving as a team, but you should do. I will take your notes about the shield and shard to heart. A pity about the other two items, but there were at least more insights than I had previously."
He turns to the sage, "Jayorass, it's unfortunate you could not provide even this level of insight. Clearly you were not the right person for the job."
Joayrass makes a loud, 'hrumph' sounds and turns on his heels to have, "You will regret this day Pathfinders."
Eando shrugs off his leaving and gets to business, "For your efforts I have two gifts, a potion of water breathing and a potion of resist electrical energy. I hope they serve you well."
He pauses, "Alright. Time to get serious. As you know, I make a living exploring just as you do, and I have made my share of enemies, as you have. A few weeks ago while visiting former colleagues of mine here in Absalom, I made note of some new players in town: a team of Red Mantis assassins - nasty, bloody killers. Imagine my surprise when I learned my target. Me! I don't intend to sit around and wait for the Red Mantis to strike. I want to hit them in the sanctity of their little base. We'll only get one shot at this. If they survive, they'll relocate, become invisible, and find another way to strike me."
He looks intently at the party as if waiting for questions.
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"We are to expect a fight then? Give me a moment to prepare, please."
Afficus unbuttons his shirt and slides out of one of the sleeves, leaving his shoulder, arm, and back partially exposed. He lowers his hands and begins an incantation. A glowing pentagram appears on the floor beside him, bathing the room in red light. The tiefling twists one palm upwards as if dredging something from beneath the symbol. As he performs this gesture, the smoky form of a canine head emerges from the center of the pentagram. Only a moment later, it is joined by two similar heads, revealing that Afficus is summoning a cerberei. Once the summon is complete, he gently rests a hand atop the cerberei's middle head and in a puff of smoke--it disappears. The smoke twists and works its way up and around the outstretched arm before burrowing its way under the sorceror's skin. Within moments the cerberei reshapes itself as a tattoo on Afficus' shoulder and upper arm. He slides his arm back through the sleeve, a subtle smile on his face.
Afficus then gets his long term buffs rolling. Mage armor (CL 11)/false life.
"I have heard of the Red Mantis but am unfamiliar with their operations. What should we expect from them?"