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"Look, you can be difficult about this if you want. I'll just make sure to spread the word that this war hero sustained some serious injury that prevents his "equipment" from working properly"
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"in regard to cargo - I have to respect the privacy of our clients. So, regretfully, I cannot answer that, and neither can Jandri, the caravan lead, were you to ask him.
“In our business, we try not to leave much to chance. Our routes are normally well prepared, including secret watering points and hidden campsites. The caravan is most vulnerable while on the move. If you can secure the caravan at one of these safe points, Jandri and his crew should be able to defend it in your absence.
So once the caravan is safe - follow the people responsible."
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Toren nods at the shopkeep. He puts down the latest trinket he was examining and says, "I'd guess that makes it pretty clear then we should get there and get this taken care of! I'll be more'n happy to put Tessa here to use for yer caravan." Toren pats his shield appreciatively at his mention of it.
"Any chance you've got something from the Goblinblood Wars here? Or any knowledge about the wars?"
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"I'm sorry - the wars aren't my area of expertise - apart of the information that all traffic ceased while the fighting commenced. You will have to look elsewhere if you want to find out more."
You have a few hours time in Absalom. Let me know how you use the time and I will count this at a later stage. There is no fixed way to do anything in Absalom - so be creative. I could think about a few ideas that could help you a lot later.
But it isn't up to me to tell you what I regard as creative.
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Toren thanks the shopkeep and says, "I thank yeh for yer time on that. A'course we'll be discoverin' the root of these caravan problems for yeh. In the meantime, I think I'll take a bit of a stroll through the city to try and learn a few things."
Turning to his companions he says, "I think I'll wander through the market in the Coins, through the Ascendant Court, and make my way to the Blackros Museum in the Wise Quarter. A museum curator might know some history o' these wars! Anybody feel like walkin'?"
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" “You only have one wagon to worry about. We do not normally make use of long wagon trains. Those are too difficult to protect and too easily noticed. The caravan master is a man named Jandri, one of our best remaining allies in the area. But I hope you understand that whatever is in the wagon isn't your business."
"oh - and before you leave - please take each one of these scarfs. Jandri will recocknize you only if you are wearing them while in Logas. So keep an eye on them."
With this words Guaril produces several colourful Varisian scarfs.
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Off to the side Chanix stares at his garishly colorful scarf. His patience is waning.
"So! We're being hired to escort a wagon that is most certainly going to be attacked. The nature of what is being transported is "none of our business" yet we are to risk our lives in order to protect and pursue any assailants. AND, now we have to announce ourselves to the world by wearing these signal flags?"
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"The quest for knowledge must start somewhere. A Pathfinder who asks no questions will surely walk past the answers."
Chanix turns towards Guaril, "Thanks for the signal flare," and with that he heads for the door.
Upon opening the door he finds Chelsea standing there with hands cupped around her eyes. He glances down and then maneuvers around her and stands outside the shop until the rest of the party is ready to go. While outside he begins to tuck the scarf up under his leather armor.
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Markus nods to Gauril and exits as well. Perched on the hulking Varisian's shoulder, Grigo chatters excitedly.
Once outside Markus catches up with Chanix. Without matching his gaze, the Varisian thug retrieves a pair of his knives and tests their edge.
"It's not like you to be so cautious. What happened to the Chanix that faced down a deck full of cutthroat pirates without a thought."
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As the others begin to leave Gregor decides to follow suit. "Well I guess my companions have decided that's enough with the questions then. Hope we know all we need to know....regardless we'll find out soon enough."
"Thank you for your time and for the lovely scarf." And with that Gregor leaves the shop, nearly tripping over Chelsea. He recovers quickly and addresses both Markus and Channix.
"I meant no disrespect regarding the scarf...but like my Elven friend here I was merely questioning the tactics around advertising our presence."
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"It's not like you to be so cautious. What happened to the Chanix that faced down a deck full of cutthroat pirates without a thought."
Chanix finishes tucking the scarf so it isn't cumbersome and without looking at Markus, "If I learned anything in Riddleport it's that headfirst isn't always head smart. That being said cutthroat pirates aren't nearly as frightening as a lack of information."
He takes stock of everything in the streets.
"Let's find Toren and any supplies we might need and then locate this Jandri."
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You pay your entry of 1 gp to the Blackros Museum. A large entrance hall welcomes you with ever burning torches that seem not necessary at this time of day. A large skeletal statue of an exotic dinosaur stands to the left of the entrance into the museum proper.
Nigel welcomes you as a Pathfinder.
He leads you down a long hallway into the main hall. A ziggurat is in the middle of the room. Nigel pulls a secret lever and the ziggurat moves sideways - opening up a ramp going down - wide enough for a horse drawn cart.
Moving down the ramp he takes the door to the right - through a large hall full of dusty statues and into a small office.
[b]"The Pathfinder society once helped us down here - and as a thank you the Blackros family has given you access to the library. Let me get some books about the wars in the chitter wood and the mercenary league you ate interested in."[b]
He walks next door to the library and comes back with three books. The books seem relative new - still they have a moody smell and their covers look in pretty bad shape.
You are left in the small office for an hour to learn what you can before joining with the rest of the party again.
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The journey between Absalom and Isger takes several weeks, first by sea and then by land, until finally ending in front of the gates of the Isgeri city of Logas. The Goblinblood Wars may be over, but the goblinoid threat still lingers, as is made apparent by the rows of fresh goblinoid corpses that hang from pikes along the city's walls. Every now and then, seemingly at random, a trebuchet from behind the city walls hurls a huge boulder into the forest.
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You wander through Logas when you are approached by a woman with a scarf similar to yours.
She introduces herself as a Varisian wanderer named Kazrin and leads you to the caravan rendezvous point, several miles south of Logas, where the PCs find the caravan waiting for them.
Creatures: The caravan includes only one large, covered wagon, pulled by a single horse. Kazrin introduces the PCs to the rest of the caravan crew: two more Varisians— the driver and a guard—and a halfling passenger. Kazrin serves as an additional guard.
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During the journey:
The wagon takes space of 15 foot long by 10 foot wide. In addition the horse and the driver take 4 squares in front of the caravan.
I've tried to give all positions below.
w is the Wagon
H is Horse and Driver
h is the halfling
G are th guards
X are free spaces for you to go.
0123456
XXhXGXX1
XwwwHHX2
XwwwHHX3
XXXXGXX4
Please let me know where you wan't to be in relationship to the wagon and I place you there (I also generated a grid if you prefer that).
You expect trouble - so I assume one weapon is ready. Please let me know which weapon this is (missile or melee). And that reminds me - a perception check please.
Please let me also know anything else you want to do during the travel.
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There is evidence of the war everywhere—discarded and rusted armor and weaponry, numerous displaced trebuchet-hurled boulders, and occasionally the remains of a hunter's trap, only recently triggered by an unfortunate forest animal. Even in the light of day, the blackened trunks of the Chitterwood trees, still bearing the scars of the great fire that marked the end of the Goblinblood Wars, loom menacingly over the narrow forest path. Eventually, the thud and crash of boulders launched from Logas can no longer be heard. Even the sun struggles to penetrate through the canopy at times, leaving dark pools of shadow stretched across the path.