Hi all, this is the thread we will be using for the actual play.
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Dot
As a hint, you can go to Campaign Info. You can then now add a campaign and a discusion tab.
"Greetings, fellow seeker of adventure!
I am Sheila Heidmarch, Venture Captain of the newest Pathfinder Society lodge-and the only such lodge in Varisia at this time. You have come to my attention as someone who possesses a certain amount of skills and interests that make you an excellent addition to a highly specialised team I'm putting together for a matter of grave import, not only to the Society, but to Varisia as a whole. Please report an hour before noon to Heidmarch Manor - you will be compensated for your visit, but that reward will pale in light of the riches that await you should we come to an agreement on my proposition to you. I look forward to meeting you soon!
Sheila Heidmarch
Intrigued by the message you receive you each made your way to Heidmarch manor - a wealthy, opulent mansion in one of the richest areas of Magnimar where you were greeted by the lady of the manor Sheila Heidmarch and taken into the library where you were briefly introduced to another Pathfinder the Half-Elven Koriah Azmeren.
Sheila says the following:
"I apologise for the delay, as I must conclude my business with Pathfinder Azmeren before we meet. In the meantime, though,I thought you could help us with another minor issue. This stone coffer is an ancient Thassilonian puzzle, a cunning feat of magical engineering known as a paradox box. As you'll see from even a casual investigation, what appear to be seems on the sides are only shallow grooves - there's no obvious way to open the thing. Each paradox box has its own secret method of being opened. Essentially, a paradox box substitutes hidden catches and magical triggers for a lock. Given time, anyone clever enough could figure out how to open a paradox box, just as given time, a locksmith can open any lock. This particular box was among those items recovered by Koriah- the scrolls next to the box are her preliminary notes on possible triggers or methods of opening it, but she's not yet had a chance to sit down and properly investigate the thing.
So...why don't you put your heads together and see if you can't do that for me? Even if the box is empty, as I suspect it probably is, knowing the methods of opening it makes it a valuable find anyway. I'll return shortly, and I hope to see that box open! Think of this as an audition, if you will- because the actual task I want to speak to you about soon will require as much wit as it will brawn!"
The box is inscribed with the word CRUEL on tiles which appear to be movable so that the letters could in theory be rearranged.
GM note: Now over to you
Xango is a big man, even for a shoanti, easely 6 foot 4 and weights over 220 pounds. His shaven head is full of tattoos and a massive earthbreaker is slung over his shoulder.
Wearing leather armor in the type of the shoanti, he bows to the venture captain and replies.
"Thank you Captain. We will give our very best to solve this!"
@Xango - Ideally would be good for you guys to try and puzzle it out.
You can have an Intelligence check or a Perception check for additional info.
Devlin Lufftin is a Talden man leaning towards the beginning of his middle years but not there as of yet. His black hair is just beginning to show the first signs of graying at the temples yet remains full and thick. Standing just shy of six feet, he is broad in the shoulders and trim at the waist. His green eyes are dazzling and he has a constant crooked smile on his face.
"Hmmmm..." Devlin picks up the box and gives it a slight shake. "I wonder if all of the letters must be used."
At 5'2", Memnosyne almost looks like a child next to Xango. She's dressed all in black with medium length black hair and black makeup on her lips and eyes.
She looks over at the box. "CRUEL. Indeed. Try re-arranging the tiles to LUCRE."
Xango shrugs and hands Memnoyne the box and shrugs.
"Big fingers!"
Devlin realises that the key to cracking the paradox box may be in hidden anagrams of the word displayed.
In addition you all see from Koriah's notes that the box contains runes written in ancient Thassilonian that are the runes for Wrath and that by touching two of the runes at once causes them to swap places.
@Menosyne- are you switching the runes?
As Memnosyne moves the tiles they click into place forming the word Lucre.
There is a bright flash and two strange creatures appear, they look like a revolting dog that has managed to walk on its back legs. They move forward to attack
Please could everyone make an initiative roll, rolling twice and taking the lowest.
= Ini 13
"And there you go. Apparently it's filled with dog-creatures," she says in a flat tone.
@Memnosyne: Unfortunately you do not have the appropriate knowledge skill.
Please could you make another initiative roll as you need to take the lower score.
15 it is then
"What in the nine hells is this?
GM note: Yeah it would be knowledge nature- far as I can see no one has that
Memno you get to act first - what do you want to do?
Forgot to add for everyone- from this point on for any role where you would use a d20 you need to do the roll twice and take the lowest result.
Quickly regaining her composure, Memnosyne pulls out her dagger and attacks.
She's totally off balance, and misses horribly.
GM note - Next is Devlin, how does he react.
GM note to all: Should say there isn't a map for this encounter, the creatures arrive on the top of the table where the box is. The room is big enough that you can all get out of their aura should you wish provided you move over 20 feet (which will provoke
With a startled reaction Devlin thrusts his hands out and a column of tiny meteorites rains down on the creature.
As soon as Xango can, he will move into flanking position, drawing his earthbreaker meanwhile and attack the nearest enemy.
Does a 14 hit
The meteorites flash out and strike one of the creatures, burning it horribly. It shrieks in pain. The other creature manages to dodge out of the way and the meteors hit some of the books in the library, scorching them.
The creatures then attack with tiny daggers.
The wounded one attacks Memnosyne (1d20 =14 + 3 = 17) Damage is 1d2 -4 so 2 -4 so 1 point of damage (minimum damage)
The other one attacks Xango (1d20 =6 +3 =9) which is a miss but it does mark the table.
Xango it is your turn next.
Xango you hit the creature, dealing it a mighty blow, your earth breaker severing its head from its shoulders. As it falls it vanishes in a puff of smoke.
Memno back to you
"Oww, what the hell are these things?" she shrieks.
"And why won't they stand still?!" she says with mounting frustration.
Devlin your action
"No idea but they sure would make an ugly looking pet." Devlin says as he extends his hand again. Lets see what happens this time.
As the cold energy struck the creature on the table it went rigid with the cold before slumping dead and disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Inside the box are three garnets, a masterwork silver dagger and a ring.
At this point Sheila and Koriah return with a male figure who Sheila introduces as Oster. She looks around the room and then says the following:
"First, allow me to apologise for that unpleasantness regarding those creatures - but it does provide an excellent object lesson. The life of an adventurer is not one for the weak hearted. That you not only took care of the creatures but also got the box open in the first place is all the confirmation I need that my gut was right-you're the perfect group for the job I have in mind."
"You see- I've recently had trouble with one of my informants here in Magnimar, Natalya Vancaskerkin. She's a half Varisian who recently approached the Pathfinder Society with an offer to serve as a street informant. She runs with the Sczarni - I'm not sure with which group. A week ago, Natalya sent me a cryptic hint that her gang was on the verge of uncovering an item that would be of great interest to the Society. Since the Sczarnis' methods of uncovering something often involves an armed robbery pr breaking into somebody's personal chambers, we thought it prudent not to press for further details and instead wait to see what it would produce. Suffice it to say, she hinted strongly that it pertained to Thassilon, and promised to meet with me to discuss this find three days ago."
"She never kept that promise-instead, she seems to have simply vanished. Initially, I assumed that the acquisition of this item was simply taking longer than expected, but now I'm hearing rumours that the Sczarni are looking for her as well. It seems likely that Natalya has absconded with this item she's discovered. And this is where you enter, my friends. I want to know what it was that Natalya and the Sczarni found. In fact I'm more interested in that than in what happened to Natalya herself. For now I'd like to keep all of this quiet-if you can find out what happened to Natalya without letting a lot of people know she was also working for me as an informant, that would be preferable- that's a big part of why I'm coming to you, as new members of the Pathfinder Society, with this task. You don't yet have a reputation in Magnimar, and as such, the lowlifes and criminals you are likely to encounter may be more likely to talk. So go out there and look for Natalya. Find out what happened to her, and to this item she and her gang discovered. If you can secure the item, all the better-bring it back to me and I'll have a reward of 500gp for you. And if you can bring Natalya back alive for me to speak to, I'll double that!"
"There are 3 leads I can think of, there is a man known as the Amazing Zograthy who has a business in Washer's Row in Dockway who is supposed to be some kind of informant. Secondly there are rumours of Nidalese slavers prowling the streets. Finally its possible that she might have been picked up by the city guard and taken to the Arensoar, the city watch garrison"
GM note - What do you want to do next - Oster you can come in to the play now too!
Xango takes Osters hand in a warriors greeting and introduces himself.
Hearing Sheila´s words he ponders for a moment, takes out a small book and pen, makes some notes. Looking up he replies.
"Well why not start with the first? Let us meet with the amazing whatever first!"
"Could you perhaps provide a description of Natalya Vancaskerkin? All we know of her is she is half Varisian, runs with the Sczarni, and was willing to become an informant." Devlin looks among the assembled group as he speaks.
"Also are those items for our use?" Devlin points at the items that had been contained within the box.
Oster Catus walks into the room, a young man of average height, a bit slim. A loose crop of dirty blonde hair sits over a fair face inset with coal dark irises. Oster widely and warmly grins when he meets his new colleagues and Xango finds that his arm is quite warm too, a little more than usual for someone who doesn't look like they've been exerting. He wears studded leather armour, black leather gloves, and a rapier at his side. Other weapons may be hidden in the folds and pockets of his clothing.
When he speaks, his Taldane is polished, but the observant might detect a hint of the Narrows slum accent behind the elocution lessons. His voice is smooth, like poured oil.
"Hello all. Oster Catus, at your service. If you need to get in somewhere, or make someone talk, I am your man. And in a pinch, I can make a few flames. We may as well cut to the chase, and speak with this Zograthy first. No sense in running around an unfamiliar city with no intelligence. And a description of Ms. Vanceskerkin would be helpful, along with knowledge of her mannerisms and behaviour. Why did she agree to be an informant in the first place?"
Memnosyne snorts. "If she chose to become an informant, it's most probably because she saw some advantage for herself."
Link to image of Natalya:
https://bit.ly/2r9biq8
Natalya is a magic user and rogue/acrobat. In terms of mannerisms she is very sure of herself and wants to get to the top of the heap. She joined the Sczarni when young but got fed up with how the take always got passed up to others so she decided to sell out her former allies to the Pathfinders.
Ok, so it looks like the amazing Zograthy is where you're heading so will do another update a bit later.
As far as I can see Memno was the only one who was injured.
Oh, sorry forgot, Sheila allows you to have all the items in the box.
So we'll move things on to meeting the Amazing Zograthy:
At the southern end of Washer's Row,a tattered banner hanging over the entrance to the small side street advertises "Professor Callivario's Stupendous Exhibition of the Outrageous and Sublime." Beyond this overly exuberant advertisement is a squalid setup consisting of little more than a series of rundown sideshow booths and carts with assorted games and amusements of the meaner sort. To one side, urchins pitch pennies at lily pads floating in a small, scum-covered fountain while a bored carnie looks on. Nearby, the sound of cats hissing and fighting arises from behind a cart where a small crowd of ne'er-do-wells has gathered to cheer and place bets. Everywhere lurk faces pinched with suspicion or hunger-expressions worn by carnival workers and visitors alike. This is not the sort of place to be careless with a coin pouch.
What do you want to do?
Oster nods at the more detailed description and information.
"She's an ambitious lady then. We can work with her, assuming she's still in the land of the living."
**************
Oster keeps a close eye on the patrons of the Exhibition. This place evokes memories of parts of the Narrows, and not pleasant ones.
He whispers to the others:
"Watch your backs and your pouches. Let's ask the staff nicely - first."
Oster looks around for the friendlier staff.
Xango takes a menacing stance, the earthbreaker on his back a clear indication that he means business.
He nods to Oster and smiles. "Your turn!"
Oster - you can see that the majority of the carnies are crooked, the games must therefore be rigged. You find one of the friendlier (in this sense, less crooked) members of staff who guides you to Zograthy's tent.
This tent is small and well patched and is crudely painted with mystical symbols and decorated with chicken bones and other oddments. Within the stuffy, cluttered tent is a table covered in blue velvet stitched with moons, stars and arcane symbols. A dusty crystal ball and a dog-eared harrow deck sit upon it. Behind this table sits an aged, bald, Varisian man with threadbare purple robes and piercing eyes-the one and only Amazing Zograthy.
He says, "The Amazing Zograthy sees all and knows all. A double fist of silver for a turn of the cards or a vision in the crystal; a treble fist of gold for the secrets of the multiverse.
Xango can tell that Zograthy shows clear signs of Pesh addiction.
GM note - Over to you
Oster navigates the way through the morass of the carnival, and the group ends up in Zograthy's tent. And starts speaking in a quiet but firm voice, so that anyone trying to listen in from outside the tent will have a harder job of doing so.
"Zograthy, my good fellow, we don't need all of that! We just need to know where someone is. One Natalya Vancaskerkin."
"Thank you for the use of the items and for the additional information on our quarry."
_______________________________________________________
Devlin keeps a firm grip on his coin purse as he carefully makes his way through these ne'er do wells. Their kind are the type that give other entertainers a bad name.
Devlin slips into the tent and moves among the various bobbles and curiosities. "No, no. I have no need of your so called soothsaying." Devlin mumbles.
Devlin keeps an eye on the surroundings hoping that whatever way this goes we can get out with our skin intact.