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From whichever corner of Golarion you were, be it for work, exploration or leisure, you received a discreet invitation addressed to all walks of agents of the Pathfinder Society.
Dear esteemed agent, it is with great eagerness that I seek your presence at the Heidmarch Manor, the fledging Pathfinder Lodge in the Varisian City of Magnimar. An opportunity has come up to further the standing of the Society in this City of Monuments where we barely have a foothold. Come, I seek your assistance.
- Venture Captain Sheila Heidmarch
You arrive in Magnimar at the appointed day and time. Magnimar is a large city located on the southwestern coast of Varisia where the Yondabakari River empties into the Varisian Gulf. As you arrive, from the distance, the city is dominated by the Irespan to the north, a giant remnant bridge left over from ancient Thassilon. The manor is located to the eastern part of the city and is a large and sprawling affair. When you arrive, you are quickly ushered into a large dining hall. Many Pathfinders have already arrived and more are still arriving. You find yourself seated on table with five other Pathfinders...
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An aloof-looking half elf joins the table, his attention is firmly riveted to smoothing his fine clothing before noting the the assembled Pathfinder agents.
"Ah, well met and The Eternal Maiden's grace be with you this day, comrades! I am Vogue, the vanguard of Shelyn, and fortune smiles on us this day," he says with a vain smile that contains no modesty.
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A massive Oread in shining plate mail enters the room. Veins of cobalt and and malachite run can be seen on his little exposed skin. A large flail with etched with images of stylized eagles and sunbursts hangs off his side.
"Blessing from the forge and may his protection be upon us." He takes his seat at the table with the tengu and the half-elf. He eyes his companions. "I see that other gods are sending their followers to this. I am not sure how this bodes."
At the request of hosts Canayven and Sheila Heidmarch, you have been invited to attend a private meeting at Heidmarch Manor. A large number of your fellow Pathfinders have clearly also been given a similar invitation, however the appearance of Sheila Heidmarch suggests all is about to be made clear.
She calls for your attention, and as the noise dies down she begins to speak.
”Dear friends, welcome to Magnimar and the newest Pathfinder Lodge—Heidmarch Manor. For those of you who do not yet know me, my name is Sheila Heidmarch—venture-captain of Magnimar. This lodge is also my home, which I share with my husband Canayven. While we are far from the comforts of the Grand Lodge at Absalom, we shall do our best to accommodate you with our humble Varisian hospitalities. My husband and I both spent many years in the field, so we know well what you do and appreciate that you have answered our summons. We are both extremely grateful to receive you and your support.”
“As you well know, Heidmarch Manor is a new lodge. Presently it is funded almost entirely from my own resources. Although I adore Magnimar, we have as many enemies here as friends. This being the case, I seek to court the favor of more powerful allies, specifically members of the Council of Ushers and the Office of the Lord Mayor.”
“This brings the conversation to our current situation. On one of their more recent salvage runs, the wondrous artificers of the Golemworks uncovered a strange relic while dredging stone from the bottom of Magnimar’s harbor. The relic appears to be some sort of a giant key, etched with ancient Thassilonian runes that their learned arcanists speculate may even predate the coming of the mysterious runelords. Because the key falls outside their area of expertise, the Golemworks donated the curious aritfact to the Office of the Lord Mayor. In turn, the Lord Mayor intends to auction off the key to the highest bidder in short order, to fund municipal projects. The auction will be run by the Cathedral of Abadar, gold in hand—meaning immediately after the final bid is accepted, the bidder must pay for his prize in full.”
“We want the key. However, we want it legally. Our establishment in Magnimar is relatively new and our footing tenuous. We need to secure more stable political relationships with the Lord Mayor’s office and the Council of Ushers to ensure the Society’s long term success in this city; especially since the Aspis Consortium already has such a strong foothold here. The legitimate purchase of the Runecarved Key from the local authorities would demonstrate our respect for the city’s government, which would go a long way toward improving our public image with these people.”
“That said, we can greatly increase our chances of winning the auction by persuading our competition to back out. While there are some we believe we can outbid, we are a new lodge with far fewer funds than many. Thus, we must find out who else is interested in the key, how much they can bid, and whether or not we can knock them out of the auction.”
“To assure our success, our espionage must be extensive. Therefore we have divided the task between our agents. While division stands to place field operatives in greater danger, we cannot risk revealing ourselves by working en mass. If you are discovered, we will disavow any association with you. We cannot aid you if you get arrested or fall into the clutches of the enemies of our Society. While this is unfortunate, I hope you can understand our position.”
”For now, please make yourselves at home. We have provided accommodations for each of your groups. Feel free to drop off your things and prepare yourselves. Then meet me in the manor’s theatre in five minutes.”
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"Since we are not going to be under the banner of the society. I will hide this then. " Pazacku chirps up, removing his Shining Wayfinder from his neck and placing it in his backpack for safe keeping.
To the others in the group. "I hope this group individuals can keep from getting arrested. After all, we are brought together by the divines."
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Grey enters the room on the heels of Bennyback.
"The call me Grey, this here is Lucy." says the hunter, motioning towards a battle scared boar at her side.
"She can be a bit peculiar, so watch your tongue...especially when it concerns her weight."
The boar seems to give a will timed snort and headbutts Grey's leg.
"Alright, Alright..."
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A young pageboy quickly weaves his way through the crowd to your table. His small and slight build belies his age, for when he gets closer, he realise he is already in the midst of adolescence. His normally cheeky eyes wide open, taking in the sights of so many adventurers gathered in the manor.
"Sirs and.. uh... pig. It looks as if you are missing one of your number. No matter. I'm sure..." He looks down at his paper. "Fingalad will be along shortly. If you could follow me? I'll guide you to the theatre, where you can take your seats." His voice still bears the tenor pitch of a child, but hints of the baritone threatens to break through.
Once you have gathered your belongings, he quickly guides you through the labyrinthine corridors, through an open space, then to the enormous theatre. He leads you to your seats, placing a small 'Reserved' sign on the seat at the end of the aisle. "Please, enjoy, and get to know one another. I'm told you are in for quite the adventure!" With a glance, it is quite apparent the boy knows nothing of your mission and is just telling tall tales.
Even before the venture-captain arrives, the theater in Heidmarch Manor is crammed with Pathfinders. Heidmarch enters quietly, then slips through the crowd, takes the stage, and speaks. “Tonight, the Council of Ushers is sponsoring a pre-auction gala, to be hosted at the Cathedral of Abadar. During the party, the auctioneers intend to display the Runecarved Key in order to entice potential bidders. Anyone serious about entering the auction will be required to place a deposit of ten thousand gold coins in an escrow account at the cathedral.
“We need you to attend this event, both to submit our deposit as well as to determine who else might be interested in the key. While most of those attending received invitations, the event is semi-private and open to anyone with enough money to place serious bids. While the city provided me with an invitation, my appearance would give our many enemies cause for suspicion. For this reason, I ask that all of you go in my stead, and enter as my proxies. Still, we do not want out enemies to speculate on our own intentions. For this reason you must keep a low profile and avoid seeming too eager about the key. Each of you will be given a portion of the full deposit to take to the temple to present to Proctor Imikar”
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Once you have received your briefing, the pageboy returns and gives you a strong box containing a portion of the deposit. You can see other groups receiving similar boxes. Immediately, you make your way to the Cathedral of Abadar, taking back roads and avoiding other Pathfinder groups. Upon your arrival, you witness a steady stream of guests ascending the stairs and entering the cathedral’s main sanctuary, where the viewing is being held. Rows of temple warriors wearing white tabards stitched with the golden key of Abadar flank the main entrance. Their hands clench tightly around their gleaming swords as they stand almost motionless, ever-vigilant stares upon their faces.
As you enter, various low-level priests invite you to partake in food and beverages while you mingle about. You decide to deposit your funds first. After all, it is difficult to enjoy a party while guarding a large sum of money!
One of the acolytes directs you to Proctor Jyronn Imikar, a pleasant Osirian priest who runs the temple. Imikar accepts your deposit and writes something in his ledger. You wouldn’t be proper pathfinders if you did not use the opportunity to attempt to see some of the writing.
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
Kresch Vaor representing Underbridge Exports
Sheila Heidmarch representing the Pathfinder Society
Dymal Rinks, independent
The Duchesses representing no one
Doctor Ernst Landis representing the Museum of Ages
Zimandi Kaddren
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
Maiveer Sloan representing the Aspis Consortium
Falrig Sneve
Kresch Vaor representing Underbridge Exports
Sheila Heidmarch representing the Pathfinder Society
Dymal Rinks, independent
The Duchesses representing no one
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
Maiveer Sloan representing the Aspis Consortium
Falrig Sneve
Kresch Vaor representing Underbridge Exports
Sheila Heidmarch representing the Pathfinder Society
Dymal Rinks, independent
Zimandi Kaddren
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
The Duchesses representing no one
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
Maiveer Sloan representing the Aspis Consortium
Falrig Sneve
You managed to spot the following in the ledger:
Falrig Sneve
Kresch Vaor representing Underbridge Exports
After a moment Proctor Imikar closes the book ”Thank you for entering the auction, will you also thank madam Heidmarch on my behalf? Also, before you go, please partake of the good food and drinks, blessed by Abadar. And mingle! They may be competitors, but no reason not to have some fun!”
After depositing the funds you take a drink and something to eat. A squat man in white robes steps upon the cathedral dais to address the room. Introducing himself as the sexton of Magnimar’s High Cathedral of Abadar, he greets his guests with a broad, welcoming smile. “Good evening, friends! I’m pleased to see so many of our distinguished and honored guests could attend. For those of you not fortunate enough to have participated in our pre-auction festivities, please feel free to take part in all the luxuries and wonders within these halls. And with my welcome, I have the pleasure unveiling the auction’s feature lot. Enjoy!”
With the utterance of the final word he pulls aside the veil, displaying a gigantic key. It stands roughly three feet tall and is made of stone etched with glowing arcane symbols. The crowd applauds and people turn back to their companions to discuss the key. The crowd is an eclectic mix of landholders, merchants, and other notable figures from all over Varisia, wide-eyed and curious to glimpse the mysterious Runecarved Key. Hired servants weave through the crowd bearing luxurious platters of fruits, sweetbreads, and oysters or trays topped with crystal goblets of heady red wine. Guests mingle slowly, socializing amicably but cautiously with longtime acquaintances, as they feel out potential competitors.
1. You can attempt a Diplomacy (Gather Information) or Knowledge (Local or Nobility) check to ask around, looking to find a specific individual whose name you know. Or,
2. Attempt a Diplomacy, Knowledge (Local or Nobility), Perception or Sense Motive check to give a more generic description of the type of person you seek.
A passing servant mentions that you have 15 minutes before the gala ends.
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"Maiveer Sloan. That's what was on the ledger," Vogue replies with a significant, sudden seriousness. "I have a distinct feeling the Aspis have no altruistic motives for the key. By the ample cleavage of Shelyn, they'll not succeed in this endeavor."
He turns to Grey, "Care to round up your sidekick and scout out some snakes?"
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Hearing the plans of his companions, Reaper will try his luck with one of the other names. "Kresch Vaor representing Underbridge Exports. Sounds interesting. Maybe some earthly ken?
Reaper mingles...
Poorly.
His laugh can be heard after picking up, "...and the slyph is blown away!". It seems people are not keen on Oread humor
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With Grey's assistance, Vogue finds a man fitting the description of Sloan. Being the Head of Magnimar's Aspis Consortium, he isn't very difficult to find. The gaunt, fashionably dressed Chelaxian handshakes his way through the room, accompanied by a half-dozen followers who appear to be equal parts attendant and bodyguard.
Fingalad nearly misses Rinks, but Bennybeck sees him at the last moment. A broker for many of the local guilds, it is not surprising to find him here. The squat halfing, dressed in plain clothes, skates about the edge of the crowd, his eyes fitting back and forth between the key and the exit.
Pazacku, seeing a priest he met several years back, immediately strikes up conversation. Within a few minutes, he is pointed towards the two women who mysteriously called themselves the Duchesses. Oddly enough, they look more like common travelers than nobility. The two women stand to the side of the cathedral, conversing sofly between themselves. Both are dressed in Varisian travelers’ clothes draped with thick cloaks.
Andddddd... Reaper just insulted four different nobles from four different countries with one joke. Impressive, but not helpful.
I should add, you are confident that, combined, you saw all the names.
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"Ah, so the Aspis has a representative here as well. Do we investigate their motives for being here or do we leave them be?" Pazacku gestures to the two females. "the duchess, however looks to be varasian, however, most human women I have had dealings with, do not appreciate being approached by my kin. So it is best for me not to follow that lead further."
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Reaper, keeping an eye out for Kresch, does not find her due to an unfortunate distraction. A rather fat Varisian man approaches him, asking to hear more jokes about those darn Sylphs. Without much prodding, he goes into an elaborate, and surely exaggerated, story of his nightly exploits with a young djinn one summer of his youth.
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"I think I can safely say with some confidence that the motives of the Aspis are to pillage and plunder more fine art and priceless artifacts for their nefarious organization. But the others? We may yet have ways to steer them away from bidding on the key without confrontation."
Vogue then turns to survey the crowd. "Besides, how can they resist the charm and allure of Shelyn's chosen one?" he says while running his fingers through his hair and snagging a drink from a passing servant's tray. "Zimandi Kaddren, who are you, I wonder? The target of my next hunt, that's who..."
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Pazacku, enjoying Reaper's distraction, discusses the newcomer, Kresch Vaor. Sweet talking them with the reminder that his friend was distracting the obnoxious Varisian from harassing them, the Tengu finds a servant who witnessed Kresch make her deposit.
Moving slowly through the crowd is an uncomely woman with large teeth and a shrewlike nose, dressed unbecomingly in the drab clothing of a stevedore. Slight in stature with a slightly stooped posture, she behaves in a mostly standoffish manner. Slipping to the edge of the crowd, she nervously waits for the key. Spotting the artifact, she make a few quick notes then slips off.
Vogue stands among the noble's quietly, with a keen eye out for a beautiful woman, the only description of Zimamdi he had received. Luckily, he notices a strikingly handsome Chelaxian woman with deep, dark eyes and black hair step forward to admire the key. She is richly dressed in a flowing gown cut to the very latest in Magnimarian fashion.
Fingalad looks around and has no trouble finding the good doctor. He is almost a guest of honor, since his museum is receiving many of the profits of this auction.
Near the front of the gathering, vying for a look at the key, stands the balding, weathered old man wearing heavy robes stitched with runes. Despite his age, his face beams with a boyish grin as he gazes at the curious artifact.
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Vogue's eyes scan the crowd and keeps his ears open for mention of a Zamandi Kaddren. He steps lightly through the attendees, following up on mentions and other snippets gleaned, when he sees the one he seeks across the room.
"Oh my, my. Why, hello there, my little devils food cake," he says out loud to no one in particular as he eyes the Cheliaxan beauty from across the room. "Time to find out your role in this caper, and to find out if you've heard the song and message of Shelyn this day." He then gulps down the rest of his drink, licks his thumb to then smooth his eyebrows, and cups a hand in front of his mouth to do a brief exhale-and-sniff test before setting off to acquaint himself with the lady Kaddren.
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Fingalad and Grey run around, making a fool of themselves. However, it seems to work in their favor. Toward the back of the room stands a gray-haired man in his early fifties, dressed in fine silken robes and flanked by two muscular guards. The man nervously fngers a small silver coin, fipping it about in his fingers. Each time his name is called, he flinches quite visibly.
Reaper and Pazacku approach Kresch. The ugly woman nearly snarls when Pazacku attempts to make small talk. " Nice? I suppose so. I'm just hear cause I've got to be. Kay? " She scalpers off quickly, ending the conversation.
She makes a quick two circles around the outside of the Cathedral then ducks down a side alley. When you turn the corner, she is gone.
When approaches by Benny, Rinks is cold and cautious. When asked about his interest in the key, he speaks in a bored voice. "I've only come to appraise it for one of my wealthier clients, who has expressed interest in it. I am a renowned merchant arbitrator, after all. " You feel that there may be more to his story than that...
The beautiful woman smiles warmly at Vogue as he approaches. "Hello, darly. Aren't you quite the morsel? " After some slightly flirty small talk, she begins talking about the highlight of the night, the key. She gets excited, discussing at length the various arcane theories surrounding the key. Finally, she wraps up her discourse. "I'm sorry, honey, I got excited again, didn't I? Who did you say you were representing tonight? "
The cathedral’s sexton calls everyone’s attention “The pre-auction gala has ended; all must leave the cathedral immediately. Thank you for attending and we’ll see many of you back here for the auction.”
You return to the Heidmarch Mansion. The theater is filled with your fellow Pathfinders, all buzzing with excitement. Sheila Heidmarch, raises her hands and quiets the room before speaking. “Well my colleagues, I trust you were successful this evening? Anyone have information to share? Let’s see some hands.”
A dwarf clad in full plate with a great hammer on his back calls out ”Aye, we met Rinks, a halfling who said he was acting on behalf of one of his clients. We found out that he has spent the last few months here in Magnimar betting on the bullfights at the Matador’s Lodge. He was not as lucky as most of his kind and has run up a sizable debt with the lodge’s owner, Master Basaale Minvandu. The halfling is staying in the Old Fang Inn”
A couple of humans push a grippli forward ”Quon here also has to report something” they say. The grippli turns a brighter shade of green and then softly starts speaking ”I am afraid we made a bit of a mess at the gala. That Chelaxian woman, Zimandi Kaddren, found out that we are with the Pathfinder Society and she immediately stormed off in anger, saying that she would take every effort to outbid the Society at the auction.” The grippli seems to have found his voice as he continues ”We asked around and we discovered that her parents vanished during an expedition to a mysterious fortress known as Viperwall in central Varisia. I think that she blames the disappearance of her parents upon the Pathfinder Society.”
A famous halfling jumps on a table ”I am Lem and I can report that the curator of the Museum of Ages is also interested in the artifact! Doctor Landis has secured a donation for the key. He thinks it is an item of great historical significance, and that it was created by Emperor Xin to unlock a temple of seven paradises. I would have expected that Nigel Aldain of the Blakros museum would also be present, but I did not see him. That is all for me!”
A human woman calls out, the symbol of Iomedae obvious on the buckler that she has strapped to her left arm. On the same hip she has an Aldori duelling sword. ”I talked to two women dressed in travellers’ outfits. Both had with thick Varisian accents. They introduced themselves as ‘the Duchesses’ and said they live in Ordellia where they work as caravan guards. Beyond that, they had little to say.”
A servant rushes in and hands Sheila Heidmarch a note ”Give me a moment, this is probably important, otherwise Jacob here would not have disturbed us”. She reads the note and briefly ponders it for a moment.
“Well, my friends, it seems Desna smiles upon us. My sources have just informed me that the Aspis Consortium has fewer funds than we first imagined. Thus, they have sent word to an ally in Korvosa to ship them more gold. Fortunately, I still have a few spies in Korvosa. A few days ago, the Consortium hired a Varisian caravan to carry a sizable shipment of gold to Magnimar, presumably to help them secure the Runecarved Key’s purchase.”
“The caravan was traveling along the Yondabakari River and should be nearing the outskirts of the city in a few hours. I need you to ride out to the caravan before it gets within sight of the city walls and ensure that gold never reaches the Aspis Consortium at Bronze House. Take whatever gold you can, but try not to draw attention to yourselves as Pathfinders. It’s bandit territory out there anyway, so caravan raids aren’t uncommon. That said, rest assured the caravan will be armed. As soon as you’re finished, hurry back here. We don’t want Maiveer Sloan to catch on to our plot. I’ll send a white raven to signal you to return before the situation becomes too risky.”
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Following Heidmarch’s marching orders, you immediately head out into the darkness of the night by foot to intercept the caravan. You follow the Yondabakari route, which eventually leads into the Varisian Forest. A place filled with lush greenery, especially pine and redwood trees, for miles to come. Several miles into your hike outside of the city walls, a side trail branches off and away from the Yondabakari and winds south into a forest of ancient evergreens. A faint glowing light in the distance attracts your attention. Off to the side of the path, nestled into a deep pocket of spruces, sleeps a small Varisian caravan, only two wagons strong.
A small campfire has been lit to keep the travellers warm in the cold of the night. A few men, presumably those that travel with the wagon, sleep around the fire. From afar you believe you note a single person scouting the immediate vicinity of the encampment, and he moves around in no discernable pattern.
An open wagon with sleeping people rest closer to the road, inside it are small cartons of goods, likely rations and supplies. Another covered wagon rest further out from the road.
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Reaper's Stealth isn't much, though he has no problem forgoing any ambush.
Otherwise will wait for others to make any ranged attacks before rushing in. Right before we start, Reaper will activate his minor Protection blessing and get +1 to AC and Saves.
Reaper surveys the situation:
He points out the Aspis symbol on the wagon wheels.