"If they weren't trying to kill us, I would say they were doing a good job, but..."
Between Damiel's frost bombs and the specially-made and enchanted blades of Hanzi and Mykel, the final angelic guardian is quickly reduced to a pile of broken, frost-covered parts that twitch for a few moments before growing still.
After a few seconds of silence, Sheila Heidmarch comes running into the greenhouse, her eyes wide with alarm. "What on earth is-fire!" she gasps, spotting the spluttering flames left by the guardians’ fiery breath attacks. "Water, we need water - quickly!" she calls out.
A number of servants arrive on the scene in short order and help to put out the fires before they have a chance to spread any further. With the greenhouse a damp, smoldering wreck and the angelic guardians lying in pieces all around, the venture-captain turns to all of you.
"What happened here? Tell me everything," she says, her voice tense.
Damiel quickly pulls his coat together to hide his stash of bombs "Storing such things in a greenhouse was a bad idea. These hot, humid conditions likely caused these to malfunction and attack us. As soon as we used your wayfinder they activated and became very hostile." He looks around at the wreckage "This was our only alternative." He nods his head towards a significantly wounded Hanzi.
Enora passes her wand to Ashara. "How about you use my wand to heal them up a bit?"
"What they said, Lady Heidmarch. I don't think it's the heat though. The automations were pretty quiet until they saw your Wayfinder." Enora steps forward from the bushes, kicking a piece of scrap away before she steps on it. "Do any golem makers want you dead?"
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"They attacked us. We defended ourselves. A pity we had to destroy them, but surely you agree it's better them than a bunch of dead pathfinders on your conscience..." Ashara comments before commenting further "We should investigate the reasons for these malfunctions. It could be an entirely benignant and random event... or it can be the result of someone sabotaging those machines"
Sheila Heidmarch fumes, crossing her arms across her chest. "This is an outrage! Surely these guardians were sabotaged in some manner by enemies of the Society - because I have better things to do than rig up silly 'tests' for experienced agents that result in all manner of property damage," she remarks, shooting a withering glare at Hanzi. She runs one hand through her hair distractedly for a moment before spinning around to face the group. "It seems that ‘urgent matters’ have indeed popped up. Since you were able to defeat these guardians I would like you to also investigate the circumstances of their creation, as Ashara suggests - surely the answers as to who did this and why lie there."
"Go to the Golemworks and meet with my contact there, a man named Reemis," Sheila continues. "It is with him that I placed my original order for the angelic guardians. But remember - the Decemvirate wishes to stay on good terms with the Golemworks so please utilize some discretion during your investigation. Find out who made those guardians and what their motives were for sabotaging them; I’ll expect a full report once you return."
She pauses, looking around the ruined greenhouse once more. "And, just to make sure that all possibilities are explored...the rest of these crates and their contents will be moved somewhere cooler and less humid," the venture-captain adds, nodding at Damiel.
Closer inspection of the battered guardians reveals a small placard on nape of each angel’s neck in the shape of the Golemworks’s insignia. Each bears the angels’ creation year of 4718 and has a space for a maker’s mark - but the space has been left empty on all three guardians.
"Sounds like we've got more chores to do. Let's take a closer look at these ruined golems and their crates." He starts pawing through the rubble and the crates, using the crowbar to move things around.
Before Ms Sheila leaves Damiel half heartedly pipes up "So ummm how are we supposed to get to the golem works? We don't even know where they are..."
Damiel keeps the buddy close at hand, smuggling it out with him once they leave the compound.
Closer inspection of the battered guardians reveals a small placard on nape of each angel’s neck in the shape of the Golemworks’s insignia. Each bears the angels’ creation year of 4718 and has a space for a maker’s mark - but the space has been left empty on all three guardians.
"Hmm...new to Magnimar? Don't worry, I can give you directions," Heidmarch replies, taking a moment to scribble on a bit of parchment that she then passes to Damiel before exiting the greenhouse.
After poring over the remainder of the wrecked guardians and the rest of the greenhouse, you're ready to set out for the Golemworks and hopefully find out just what the deal is and was with the crazed, haywire constructs. Though he hopes he won't actually be forced to use it up close and personal, Damiel discretely slips 'Trusty Buddy' into his pack before you depart Heidmarch Manor.
Though you've been given directions to your destination by Sheila, most of you realize that you don't actually know all that much about the Golemworks. On the way, Hanzi attempts to learn a little more information about the place by asking around. Though there's not been any particular news as of late, he does learn that the Golemworks is a series of unremarkable, crow-haunted warehouses near the north edge of the Irespan. Nearly 30 years ago, local wizard Toth Bhreacher discovered that the stone of the Irespan proved particularly useful in crafting constructs — some ancient element of the exact preservative magic woven into this stone by ancient Thassilonian crafters resulted in stone that takes unnaturally well to the practice of creating animated life. Since his discovery, this studio has grown into a sizable and prestigious workhouse with loyal customers as far away as Absalom and Katapesh. Today, the Golemworks employs nearly two dozen spellcasters of various levels of power to aid in the creation of golems, animated objects, and other creatures for sale as guardians to those who can afford them. Their most popular and best-selling offering is the angelic guardian - a serviceable and relatively inexpensive construct that excels at the simple task of serving as a bodyguard. Larger and more complex creations like actual golems are left to the Golemworks’ senior members, or to Toth himself.
It doesn't take too terribly long before you find yourself standing in the shadow of the Irespan in the city's Capital District. The shouts of laborers who dredge fallen segments of the Irespan compete with the clamor of artisans: the sculptors, jewelers, woodcarvers, and arcane artificers whose secret skills breathe life into their constructs. You have little trouble in making your way to the Golemworks’ main entrance and locating Sheila’s contact Reemis - a pudgy, balding Chelish man in his mid-fifties. His eyes light up as you introduce yourselves.
"Ah! Some of Sheila Heidmarch’s people, I take it?” he asks, his manner jovial. ”I’m Reemis and it’s a pleasure to meetcha. Tell me, what did Sheila think of her latest delivery?"
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Karn scoops up one of the golem pieces containing a placard and tucks it away in a belt pouch.
As he walks along monitoring the their surroundings he muses. "What chance golem job kill pathfinder agents. Not malfunction or test."
Karn takes on a menacing look as Reemis introduces himself. "Are you reason guardian try kill me and me friends?" Karn bellows at the man.
"Ya. Sheila, nor we, thought very highly of your golems. They tried to kill us so we destroyed them. Karn is particularly upset about it..." He nods at the half orc barbarian.
"Maybe we could talk about this privately?" Asks the half elf.
Enora lets the big folk start all the talking. Like they always do.
"Also, the maker's mark on the constructs are missing. Did you lose a shipment before delivering them to the Heidmarch manor?"
Reemis’ eyes widen with shock as you relate the guardians’ attack, beads of sweat appearing on his brow as he positively withers under the combined glares of Karn and Hanzi. "Why, I...I don’t know what to say…" he stammers, shrinking back and quickly beckoning everyone out of the front lobby and into a small office. "I am very, very sorry to hear of this," he continues once he's had a chance to shut the office door for some privacy. "Rest assured that I will be conducting a full investigation into this matter and that the Heidmarches will most certainly receive a full refund should any evidence of sabotage be found!"
Enora's question, however, leaves Reemis looking rather puzzled. "Really now? No, we haven't lost any shipments that I'm aware of. What you're telling me is highly unusual but luckily we keep written records of who each order is assigned to. Please wait here one moment while I go and pull them!"
With that, Reemis disappears into one of the back rooms and is gone for several minutes. When he returns, a leather folder in his hands, he seems even more puzzled than before. Reaching into the folder he pulls out a piece of paper and holds it out for you to see. On it are the full details of Sheila Heidmarch’s order - the quantity purchased, delivery instructions, and orders to be programmed into each guardian. At the bottom of the receipt is a scrawled signature from the artificer who marked the job as complete: Chrysalis Black.
"This is most strange," Reemis explains. "Chrysalis Black is one of the most promising members of the Golemworks’ faculty and it isn’t like him to leave his maker’s mark off of any of his pieces. But, well...I suppose anyone could make such a mistake, especially a man as busy as Black often is. He’s currently out running errands but he should be back before long, if you’d like to wait for him in his office?"
"But of course he's running errands, isn't he?" Enora seems sarcastic. "Just after a suspicious deliver is sent, the manufacturer is nowhere to be found. Hmpf!"
"So, do you have any idea where is today? Or should we just wait patiently while he escapes?"
Damiel will accompany Reemis as he goes to find the proper paperwork "Ah. I'll help you look. We're in a bit of a rush." Damiel follows the man but stays back and just watches him to make sure everything is on the up and up.
As he produces the documents he takes a look to verify they look like the real thing and haven't been doctored.
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While Reemis is gone Ashara quickly casts a spell on herself.
"Mr Reemis... let me state that we are most grateful for your collaboration and we understand some incidents could and do indeed happen when bending arcane forces to give life to inanimate matter. That said your delivery did not only malfunction. It tried to kill us and we were forced to defend ourselves destroying it in turn. Lady Heidmarch paid for the constructs and they are now gone. Besides we have reason to suspect someone MADE the constructs malfunction on purpose. As you may imagine, we Pathfinders tend to take attemps on our lives extremely seriously. So we, and more importantly Lady Heidmarch, would be extremely grateful if you could tell us everything you know about master Chrysalis Black, as he was the creator of the constructs"
Reemis fidgets nervously under the group's scrutiny but when Damiel gets a better look at the work orders he's unable to find anything that looks amiss - everything appears to be legitimate, including the signature.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he squeaks. "I wasn't meaning to sound like I was making light of the situation or the pain and suffering you endured, truly. It's just that...this entire situation is practically unheard of! Sometimes mistakes are made when magic is involved, as you said yourself young lady," nodding at Ashara, "but I would expect it of a novice artificer - not Mister Black."
"He's quite brilliant, you see, and I've never heard of anything he's crafted to be faulty in any way," Reemis continues to explain. "And the thought of intentional sabotage seems even less likely! What motive would he even have for such an attack? To my knowledge he has no affiliation with Sheila Heidmarch or anyone else belonging to the Pathfinder Society. True, he is a bit...eccentric, but aren't most mages in one way or another?"
The man sighs. "And I'm afraid that I don't know where Black went for his errands but I assume he probably went to purchase more components for his spells. The only other thing I know that might be useful is that I believe he owns a small, private business of some sort - it will take a bit of time but I can attempt to find out the address for you. You're still welcome to wait in Black's office in the meantime, just in case he returns while I'm retrieving this information for you?"
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Karn taps his foot with barely held contempt and anger while listening to the man make excuse after excuse and apologies that ring hallow in ones ear. "If me had choice, would bring whole place down. Not right, life to stone. God say destroy bad magic. Karn listen and obey." Karn holds up his homemade holy symbol of Nethys. The mask is strongly tilted to Nethys' destructive side.
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Damiel judges the man's words and action before making a decision.
"Does this Mr Black have a work station or room that we could take a look around in? You can come with us if you are concerned Karn here will 'disenchant' anything." Truth be told I would rather blow more stuff up. Dealing with people kinda sucks the fun out of life.
"The location of his private office would be great. Thank you." Enora bows to Reemis and begins the waiting game.
"Karn and I both believe in Nethys, and yet, I wouldn't call what we saw life. If I drop a pebble, it follows the laws of gravity and will fall to the floor. Does that mean it was alive? Those things you smashed followed more complicated rules. Or at least, tried to."
Reemis seems quite sincere and truthful. You suspect that his anxiousness is simple alarm at having such a glaring issue come up rather than being due to any wrongdoing on his part.
"Ah...yes actually, his office is more than just his office; there's a small workshop and I believe there's a small storeroom too," Reemis explains, looking a little relieved that you all seem willing to wait - at least for a little bit. "Come, I'll take you there - and no, I trust that everyone will be able to ah, control their tempers and urges. After all, the Pathfinder Society surely wouldn't employ 'loose cannons' would they?"
Reemis leads you through the maze of workshops, warehouses, and foundries that make up the Golemworks to a small wooden building he identifies as Black’s workshop. Pulling out what appears to be a master key, Reemis fits it into the lock on the door and turns it, unlocking the door and swinging it open.
"Please, ah, just have a seat inside," Reemis instructs you, fidgeting nervously. "As I said, I’m sure that Master Black will be back before too long and hopefully he’ll be able to clear up the matter of these amok guardians - and if not, then at least I'll still be able to give you more details about his personal business."
With that he leaves you, making his way back to the front of the complex to track down that bit of information for you. Little else to do but wait, you step inside Black’s office. Two exotic rugs cover the oak floor of this well-furnished “L”-shaped office. Several tables and chairs offer spots to relax after a day’s work, and a sturdy bar of cherrywood displays all manner of exotic drinks. Some of the chairs feature thick leather restraints, an odd feature for sitting chairs to have. A golem crafted from mahogany and other fine woods stands in the corner and doors exit to the north and northwest.
You spot three particularly esoteric and valuable books on the bookshelf along the room’s north wall: Dark Nights at Schloss Caromarc by Count Alpon Caromarc; The Artificers of Rachikan by Benton Grone; and Secrets of the Pactmasters Revealed: Theories on the Aluum, author unknown. Each of the books is worth 75 gp.
Upon walking on the eastern rug, you notice a slight change in the firmness of the floor underneath your feet.
Damiel's eyes light up a bit at the luxurious appointments in the man's office. "Fancy." He blurts out as his eyes settle on the chair restraints. That's a bit weird.
Damiel stops and backs up over the rug, leaning on his foot heavier this time. "Something's hidden under here... let's have a look." He listens to make sure Reemis is well gone before kicking the rug to the side to check it out, then stopping suddenly.
"This guy is a mage of some sort? We should be careful about magical traps and spells." He turns to those magically inclined "Would you detect for anything?" He waits before continuing the investigation under the rug.
Enora checks out the room, admiring its construction. She is drawn to the bookshelf along the north wall and slowly scans her finger along. She's quite suspicious of this Chrysalis Black character, but the thirst for knowledge is never quenched.
Golemcrafting for Dummies? Really?
Pass your Golemancy Certification Exam in 28 days or less? A complete rip off, if you ask me.
Midnight Golem Romances? Oh, grow up.
"These books here are pretty esoteric- and valuable." Enora walks to the north wall and pulls out three of them. "Dark Nights at Schloss Caromarc by Count Alpon Caromarc; The Artificers of Rachikan by Benton Grone; and Secrets of the Pactmasters Revealed: Theories on the Aluum, author unknown. You could sell each of them for 75 pieces of gold easily."
Damiel gets Enora's attention. "Hmm, oh, yes sugah. One moment." She casts Detect Magic and takes a look.
Enora and Damiel immediately set about poking around the office as soon as the sounds of Reemis' footsteps fade away. Enora takes stock of Black's choice of reading material while Damiel notices something odd about the large rug covering the eastern section of floor. However, Enora's scan of the room for magical auras turns up nothing...except for the office door that Reemis unlocked to allow you entry. She detects a moderate aura of abjuration that she's subsequently able to identify as an Alarm spell.
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"The door has been warded for alarms." Enora shrugs. "I guess they want to make sure we don't leave prematurely." She looks at the rug. "The rug seems ordinary. Is there a secret passage under there?"
Damiel nods at Enora as she gives him the good news of no magic under the rug. "Ok I guess we should take a look." He investigates when Mykel flips over the rug.
As everyone crowds around, Mykel flips part of the rug up to reveal...wooden floorboards. But closer inspection reveals that they appear to have been pried loose from the rest of the floor. Lifting the boards reveals a 15-foot-by-15-foot patch of fresh dirt. The dirt seems loose and churned up but not from being dug up - it almost seems more as though it's from something passing through it.
Damiel looks at the earth and says flatly "Maybe he has a cat."
"More likely this is an escape tunnel. I've seen Earth Elementals swim through sand like a fish. There's magic to imitate that effect. So unless you want to dig for a few days we'll need to find a new lead."
"Or that. Probably not both."
You're both reasonably certain that you're on the right track - this seems like the result of someone making use of an Earth Glide spell. Either that or Black must really enjoy the company of earth elementals.
After waiting for perhaps another 10 or 15 minutes you find yourselves worried that Black will never show, that perhaps the guardian malfunction was intentional and Black is already on his way to sipping margaritas down in the Mwangi. Just when you're all but decided to go and see if Reemis has managed to track down that address for you, the door to the office swings open and a bespectacled man strides in, arms full of packages. He starts when he sees you all, clearly surprised to have visitors waiting in his office. Hurrying over to the nearby bar, he sets his packages down before turning to address you.
"I'm sorry, I...wasn’t expecting visitors today," the man, who must be Chrysalis Black, says apologetically in a pleasant, if slightly halting, tenor. "That’s why I’ve spent a good portion of the morning running errands. Reemis must have let you inside, yes? You haven’t been waiting long, have you? And I...don’t believe any of us have met," the man continues, gazing at each of you in turn. "What brings you to see me? Is there something I can craft for you?"
"Ms Heidmarch sent us to speak with you about a certain shipment of golems?" He doesn't say anything further as he waits to see what sort of reaction he may give.
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"Let's cut to the chase. Mr Black... we are Pathfinders from the local pathfinder lodge. We were sent here to investigate on a most unpleasant matter. A couple of your creations, Golems in the form of metallic angels, went mad after being delievered to us and we were forced to destroy them before they killed us. As you may imagine Lady Heidmarch is not pleased about the outcome. Master Reemis identified the golems as your work and was so kind as to allow us here. Now we would be glad if you could explain why your creations could have malfunctioned in such spectacular and dangerous way..." Ashara says as the man enters his own office.