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Venture-Captain Hestia Themis, a small, dark-haired, and dark-eyed Taldan woman, sits behind her enormous blackwood desk in the Pathfinder lodge in Cassomir and clears her throat. “My friend, the Countess Arieta Patrizia, is dead. She escaped her capture by the fiends who operate beneath Cassomir only to succumb to disease and wounds incured in Cassomir’s disgusting sewers. Ordinarily, this would be a matter for the Taldan authorities, but Arieta came to me directly after escaping and recounted a story that leads me to the natural conclusion that only the Pathfinder Society can resolve this issue.”
Venture-Captain Themis rises and paces back and forth behind her desk. “Arieta told me of an artifact she saw while in captivity below Cassomir. This artifact, called the jet rat, is known to us, but we must confirm that what she saw is indeed true. She claims to have seen it transform normal rats into something bigger, more vile and mean. If that’s true, the artifact she saw down there is old, evil, and should be stored safely in the vaults beneath the Grand Lodge in Absalom where we can study, catalog, and examine it. Worse, she claims to have seen this object in the hands of the derros, vile Darklands creatures that we have long suspected are responsible for the Cassomir kidnappings. I have a map here that shows the location of the sewer grate Arieta was dropped through when she was kidnapped. She could not, due to her illness, recall much about how she got to the location where they kept her in captivity, but she knows where they dropped her into the sewers and you’ll find that location on this map.”
Venture-Captain Themis stops pacing and eyes you across her desk. “Bring me back this artifact—if you happen to free a few captured Taldans along the way, that’s good news, but the artifact is your mission. Any questions?”
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"Sharan can help?", Sharan asks from under the chair of the dark lady, where she sits calmly. "Sharan can fights. Not smart. Not strong. But can fights. And hides. And knows to eats." She brandishes and inverts a stick she'd been polishing, and declares as though in summation, "Sharan will help."
Rolling out and standing, Sharan looks at the map, but doesn't seem to gain much from the document. "Where is the hole?"
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"Great more rats with bad back issues. I hope they keep away from someone's cookies," Kyle glances at Harboth. "I'd hate to be accused of taking them again." He chuckles slightly.
"Did you get more of a description of this artifact you want us to acquire? If I can identify it by sight I'd prefer it." Kyle states hoping to not have to spot it through operation.
"If we can get an idea of how many of her captors there were and a description of any of them; it may help."
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Telurion steps forward from the spot he had taken at the back of the room - a massive young man in his early 20's with a square jaw, unruly brown hair and deep grey eyes, sporting a dented scalemail, a long sword at his waist and a huge shield casually slung at his back.
We have not yet been introduced, but I agree with both the...half...wolf...errrr...girl over there, and with you also my friend - He nods towards Kyle - The most information we have, the best we will be able to follow this through. If no additional info is available, it'll do also. I'm sure we can bring this to best conclusion. Apologies Captain Themis but rats...? I have been killing rats since I was 3 years of age so now that I am all grown up we should be ok.
He lets out a roaring, honest laughter
By the way, my name is Telurion, and I am pleased to meet you all friends.
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The Venture-Captain ponders your questions for what seems like an eternity as a silence hangs in the air. She finally responds.
We weren't given a good physical description, but based on what it does, I suspect that it uses transmutation magic. Any spell caster with the ability to feel the various auras of magic should be able to discern it with a basic cantrip.
After answering Kyle's question, she turns to Telurion. Yes, you're right. You should not have much of a challenge. She never saw more than a handful together. Pathfinders of your stature should be able to easily dispatch them and recover the artifact.
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"Pleased to meet you Telurion and Sharan. I'm looking forward to working with you on this adventure. You'll find we have a great crew," Kyle says as he points to the others.
He looks at Sharan not sure how to respond. "Should we get started? Sounds like we have a place to start that will hopefully lead us somewhere," he says hopefully.
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I am good and ready to go as can be - lets then set to this sewer grate that somehow marks the beginning of all this. I am not much skilled in following rats in a sewer, or anywhere else for that matter. Do any of you possess the knowledge of an outdoorsman or tracker?
Telurion looks around the room at the gathered group
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"Start. Gray man start.", Sharan says, nodding. She brandishes her stick and tucks it under her belt beside another. At the door, she stops and turns back. "Themis. Not smashes. Brings." Sharan stares for a moment, then nods and rushes out. She's halfway down the hall in a rush before she stops short. Finding Telurion, she says, "Out Door Man. For no house? Sharan is no house. No city. Finds food.", she says with a throwing gesture, "Things to eat", she adds with a pantomime of digging. "Out Door Man?" she asks.
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Marisan smiles warmly at the halfling sitting under her chair. "Hello, Sharan. I look forward to fighting along side you." She looks up at Telurion, nodding, "And you as well." To the others, she nods in recognition of their established companionship.
She then turns her attention to the Venture-Captain as she describes the situation. Her expression turns less sunny as she listens. "I'm confident we can liberate the captives, as we did before, while accomplishing our main objective. Venture-Captain, are there other dangers known to exist in the sewers of Cassomir that we might encounter?"
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Harboth chuckles weakly at Kyle's joke, then looks sheepishly at his boots.
Look at the size of this Telurion fellow. He almost looks like he could beat ME in a fight!
I can track beasts, Telurion. I track people somewhat better, but tracks is tracks.
After pondering for a moment, he thinks aloud, I wonder if this rat idol has anything to do with the crew we took out in that warehouse the other day. Venture-Captain, do you think this could be related in some way to the other kidnappings we investigated?
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Marisan joins the party outside, ready to begin their quest. A slightly tall, lithe woman in early adulthood, she has dark skin, brown eyes, and thick black hair worn in long braids woven with what appears to be dried seaweed. Under her leather armor, she wears a sea-green tunic and pantaloons accented with tiny cockle shells.
"I'm anxious to free some more captives and retrieve this artifact." She wrinkles her nose. "...even if it does mean venturing into the filth below this city." She thinks for a moment, and the adds, "It probably makes sense to purchase some protection against disease. I plan on picking up several appropriate potions before we descent, in case anyone else has similar purchases to make."
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"I don't need to buy protection while I have Sarenrae providing me with all her protection," Kyle says smugly. He stands a little taller than Marisan and about as young; even though he looks twice her age.
He makes a lot of noise as he walks down the street to their destination. He doesn't seem bothered to be going into the sewers while wearing clean colorless clothes and armor. His shield is the only item with color emblazoned with the symbol of Sarenrae. The shield looks freshly painted and the armor buffed of any scratches or dents.
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"Sharan hides her things.", the little young halfling says. She pushes up her tattered sleeves, careless of the scars revealed. Scratching at her skin with a fingernail, she makes a straight line. "This way goes", she says, then draws a divergent shorter line, then a third that meets the first line before the midpoint, like an angular 'b'. "Finds again.", she says, and rushes away.
True to her word, she does later reappear, armored, equipped, even, her rags replaced (or dressed over) with actual armor, a slim staff in her hand, polished in the manner of her shorter sticks. A bag is slung over one shoulder, and other arms hang from a baldric and belt. "Pathfinder gives money when comes from cages. Man makes a fighting skin. And good long stick.", she adds, brandishing the staff.
With her hair tied back now, the scars of a collar can be seen on her neck, similar in age to those on her arms. "Bag for dropping, stick for fighting, and good knife, can see!", she bubbles, drawing forth a broad, flat-bladed knife, like a butterknife crossed with a spatula, polished to a mirror finish. She looks into it and giggles, before offering the mirror-shined, razor-sharp knife to the others, not for taking, but for looking, aiming each viewer's reflection back at them with an impressive accuracy. "Dark Lady, see?! Grey Man, see?! Green Orc, see?!", she asks each in turn, not waiting for response, but suddenly stopping as she aims at Telurion. "What you are calling me?", she asks, but the priority of sharing the mirror is deemed higher than his answer, it seems, because she immediately adds, "See?!"
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Telurion is a giant of a man - his casual attitude and easy smile betray his age - clearly young and enthusiastic, he strikes easy conversation during the walk to the sewers with all the members of the group.
The ease of movements, even carrying an array of artefacts of war - scale mail, longsword, shield, throwing axes, daggers, etc. - hint at his strength, but his face contrasts with this martial attire - Bright gray eyes, dirty, unruly brown hair and a jovial look show him to be an accessible and warm person.
Looking around, overall everyone seems to have taken much better care of their travelling gear, since Telurion's attire does not seem to be in its best shape - the scale armor showing some dents and an overall lack of shine, his boots muddied and his clothes clearly overworn and dusty
I do apologize for my looks friends - I have just arrived from the road and well... it was a bumpy voyage. I'll make sure to give my armor a good polish when we are back.
It would seem that you folks have ventured together before - am I right? And Marisan, my knowledge of all things magical is just... well... Let's just say there is none! If you would assist me in acquiring such protective concoctions I would be most thankful - If i can afford them that is.
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Elwyn runs up to the group, clearly panting from his efforts, and bends over, arm outstretched bracing himself against the wall as he catches his breath. "Very sorry all, I lost track of time completely. I'm sure VC Hestia will have my head."
He looks at the two new companions, "Well, appears we have new colleagues.” he smiles and stretches out his hand, ”Welcome to our crew, I’m Elwyn, a jack of all trades really but I pride myself on my reflexes and alertness to give us an edge.”
”I’m ready to set off when you all are, I’ve recently picked up this cloak that will serve me well in avoiding the nastiness of sewers and rats an such.”
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Sharan listens intently to the new arrival. When he holds out his hand, she has a silver coin ready to give him. "Thank you very much", she says as she gives him the coin.
Later, he finds her poking a finger at the brocade of his coat, tracing a sworl. When she becomes aware of his awareness, she asks, "Is words? Yellow thread say, 'Jack'?"
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Elwyn smiles at the her once she gives him the coin, then his brown furls a bit as he ponders what the intent was.
Later - hoping to have some fun he holds up the coin between his thumb and index finger, then waves his other hand in front of it making it look as if it disappears, with a wide eyed expression on his face.
Then proceeds to pluck the same coin again back from thin air, though perhaps not as adeptly.
And tosses it back to her with a smile.
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Completely taken in by the sleight of hand, Sharan goggles as the coin is not where it should be. When the coin is tossed to her, she cowers before she catches, but tries to do both. With the coin in hand, she inspects it, then passes it back, saying, "Jack makes coin hide. Jack makes coin jump. Jack makes it again."
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Greetings, I believe we have not yet been introduced - I am Telurion and it is a pleasure to meet you. In was just having a conversation with Marisan regarding you all - If I understood correctly you have ventured together before, and with success!! Congratulations for that!!
Turning around to face the bulk of the group, he exclaims with a smile: I am hoping to add to the the good fortune of us all!
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A woman clad in red robes sprints towards the group, panting whne she shows up. "Sorry everyone, overslept this morning." She says to the familiar faces around her. "Hello, I'm Rachele." She introduces herself to the new companions
Sharan has again prepared to meet the new arrival. "Thank you very much", she says, faintly kissing Rachele's second knuckle before putting a silver coin in her hand.
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Sharan squints both eyes at Elwyn, and answers in confusion, "Jack comes to fight? Not runs with words?" She looks at Rachele then, and wrinkles her brow, then giggles. "Not is runs-with-words, is comes-to-fight...", she says, making obvious inspection of Elwyn's, and then of Rachele's, apparent weapons. "That is good!", she says, instantly correcting, then re-correcting herself, "That is sad. Sad to fight. Good to come with!"
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"Do I remind you of a Jack you know?"
This apparently is a deeply philosophical question for Sharan. "Remind is remember?", she asks, though it seems rhetorical. She smiles, then grins, then giggles. "It is the same! Jack is clever! Makes coin hide, makes it jump, makes a thing that is the thing it is. Clever words, Jack!", she praises him, giggling again.
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The party approaches the location they were informed of, and in a back alley find a trap door leading to the sewer below. Looking down it is dark, though the opened door allows sunlight to illuminator the flooring below. Murky puddles dot the tile floor below, which gently slopes toward the room’s center where some of the puddles are very slowly draining into a large, 10-foot-by-10-foot drain. Thick, sticky webs cover most of the corners of the room, and several large vermin appear to be caught in the webs. The sound of running water can be heard to the north.
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"Wet for drink is good. Wet for wash is good. This is not good wet.", Sharan observes, lying on her belly, staff across her shoulders, leaning well down into the trapdoor. "Drop stick, yes?", she says to no one in particular, before pushing her weight past the staff, over the staff, to drop and hang in the hole, by both hands, and then by one. Taking an overly-long plumb bob* (on an over-thick line) from her belt, Sharan passes it over the staff, twice, toward the nearest corner of the opening. She seizes the plumb, and puts the slack of the line under her knees before slowly letting out the line. The staff rolls toward the corner, and Sharan descends into the darkness.
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Telurion approaches the trapdoor from one side, carefully peering in and listening while his eyes adapt to the gloom inside. Seeing Sharan carelessly drop down the unknown hole he speaks out:
Wait girl!! Don't go off like that! We do not know what dangers lie ahead!
"Sharan will sees.", Sharan says before descending.
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Elwyn is on his knees, hunched over the hole looking down as Sharan quickly descends. His eyes widen in surprise as she does so, thinking ’This group hasn’t had the best of luck going down or climbing up into holes, now what?’
He whispers out to the halfling in alarm ”Sharan! and looks over to Harboth, shrugs his shoulders and half jokingly says, ”We could just see what happens?” and then in response to his inevitable scowl, ”Just kidding, right … down the hole.” and follows her quickly down.
He is carefully watching his step, and keeping an eye out for the inevitability of spiders.
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Elwyn peers down as the halfling jumps down the hole. With the help of the light from the wayfinder, he sees a number of webs (Kn: Nature). The drop from the opening is 20', and there's no easy access to get down safely.
Sharan manages to jump down without breaking anything and lands on a grate that allows sewage to slowly drain below. Telurion isn't sure he's ready to take that kind of jump, being a little less nible and heavier than the halfling who jumped before him.
The grate beneth Sharan's feet gives way.
The grate gives way, and Sharan falls down a 10' hole.
She lands on her feet, though she's now cover in sewage.
She also hears some chittering sounds from above, but she doesn't know what it is.
Combat begins next post. Please post by 2pm EST. Please make sure that your character sheets have saving throws, Skill checks (including those you can do untrained like perception) complete gear listing and other derivative stats.
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Seeing the over-sized vermin, Marisan attempts to identify its exact type.
Marisan shouts "Sharan! Watch out! Spider!" She then chants an incantation and jumps through the trapdoor, gliding to the end of the room opposite the spider's current location as she falls. She also uses the time during her gentle fall to draw her best shortspear. As she lands in a crouch, she lets her wayfinder drop from her fingers to clatter on the ground, spilling light from that corner of the room.
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Sharan is (aside from the fall) eerily unvoiced, no exhalations on either impact. At the bottom of the hole, she rises with her tonfa in her hand, the shing of her mirror-knife perhaps reaching the ears of her friends above. When she first (if she ever) sights the spider, she looses a wordless, feral, animal growl from the corner in which she shelters.