The Forgotten God (Table 5)

Game Master Rednal

The pyramid appeared to be almost fully explored by now, but Astoroth wasn't quite finished. He continued onward to the door at the end of the eastern hall. Whatever was at the center of the pyramid would, unfortunately, have to remain unseen. The presence of multiple shrines made him uncomfortable.

Checking the door to the upper right. He'll detect magic there once he sees what's in the room.

Carved nature scenes cover this chamber's walls, depicting humanoid figures hunting a wide variety of prey-crocodiles, elephants, hippos, leopards, lions, and even stranger beasts. An open sarcophagus lies at the far end of the room - and its occupant is standing out front with what looks to be some kind of undead leopard. Both are fairly weak undead, though, and like the archers from the previous chamber, putting them down is a simple matter. This room seemed to exist mainly for the cat, and there's no sign of magic within it.

Have I checked everywhere except that one middle door?

If so...
Finding nothing else of immediate value, Astoroth turned to his Ifrit companion. "Miss Kozuri, are you ready to return to civilization and contact the relevant authorities? I believe our task is complete."

That fake door? Yes, you have.

"Definitely ready." she said with a smile, looking slightly relieved. "I think I'm pretty much done with raiding pyramids - for awhile, at least. They're kind of hard to get away from if you're doing interesting things in the desert... I think they wanted us to take whatever we found to Eto?" One of the things you'd been given before you left was a clear set of directions for delivery. The city in question wasn't too far away, either - a couple of days across the sand.

"That's correct. Can you assist me with some of the larger items?" Astoroth begins to load the most portable items into his pack and the chariots (assuming they won't instantly disintegrate, of course). While stripping the pyramid bare was beyond his capabilities, he could at least bring the smaller artifacts to Eto. For the larger valuables, he planned to leave directions with the relevant authority figures. Now that the tomb was clear of guardians and traps, the Osiriani shouldn't have too much trouble finishing the job.

The chariots are old, and probably not particularly good for long-term use, but they seem like they'll last at least a short time. The bad news? No steeds, so you'd have to pull them yourself, although the two of you together did have a lot of dragging strength.

Kozuri wasted no time at all in helping you load the smaller items - though she definitely had a focus on the lightweight items, not wanting to drag anything too bulky across the desert sand.

We can advance to the city whenever you're ready. ^^ Counting the chariots - and limited space - you can bring ~200 pounds of artifacts. For ease of use, these will simply be calculated as General Goods.

Plot Advancement is a good thing. :-) Is anything exciting scheduled to happen on the journey, or is it safe for me to refresh back to full HP/abilities?

You can refresh back to full. ^^ There are times when there's a reason to roleplay the journey... but this is not one of them. Plot advancement, ho!

After several days of moving through the sand - lightened by provisions of water and conversation - you finally closed in on your destination. The immense rock walls that ring Eto rise from the horizon like a shimmering mirage that gradually sharpens into focus. The city sits inside an elevated crater with sheer, weathered sides broken only in two places by heavily guarded gates. Long lines of caravans wait in a meandering queue awaiting entrance as officials search their cargos for contraband and calculate taxes. Water sellers, food vendors, and guides march up and down the lines peddling their wares and services to the visitors. Beyond the gates, the main thoroughfares fan out around the various districts of the city before dwindling into the dozens of pathways that flow through the bazaar like the delta of the great River Sphinx.

As you approach, a bored-looking Garundi man with a grey beard and tired eyes comes over, flanked by two guards. You can see several other groups of guards eyeing you - the chariots are definitely attention-getting. After a few minutes of examination, though, he finally announces a total for the taxes...

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25 (That seems pretty high, and I'm not sure which ability is giving that... Would you mind double-checking the calculation and breaking it down for me? ^^)

...but you're able to convince him that you have a contact in the city ready and willing to pay the taxes, and a guard is sent off to fetch them. It takes about 20 minutes for him to return (the official looked over a few other people seeking entrance during that time), but finally your contact arrived, paid the taxes without question, and you were allowed into the city with no further trouble.

The contact vanished into the crowd a moment later.

"Let's see... I think we're supposed to go to the House of the White Uraeus." Kozuri mused. "We should probably drop all this stuff off, at least, before we go looking around..."

"I quite agree. Let's unload what we've found at the House, then procure some lodgings."

With that, the two of you were able to make your way through the city, getting directions from a few of the locals.

The House of the White Uraeus is a two-story, whitewashed stone structure located in one of Eto’s more upscale districts. A large brass plaque above its door depicts a snake with two “necks” that split from its body, each with its own head. After a brief discussion with the staff, you're able to move the chariots and recovered goods towards the back, and one of the house's owners set a few alarm spells onto them - keyed to you and Kozuri - to discourage greedy fingers.

This location offers "Good" rooms and up (2 GP/night), per the standard rates for lodging. Cheaper accommodations are available elsewhere in the city.

Staying at a place associated with another deity made Astoroth rather uncomfortable, so he began to search for another place of lodging. The price was irrelevant, as he didn't plan to stay too long. Once the business with the artifacts was concluded, he hoped to return to Absalom and resume his search.

You can generally assume any cheaper lodging is broadly available, with no need to ask about it here. ^^ Your lodging is not especially relevant.

In that case, I'm ready to proceed. Everything found in the pyramid was turned over to the contact, and Astoroth doesn't plan to linger in the city once his business with the Blackross is concluded.

As things moved forward, the Blakros' fellows carefully examined the items you'd retrieved - and finally, handed over a bounty of 10,000 GP for all you'd brought back.

"A very fine job, to be sure." Your contact said, smiling cheerfully. "I also have one more message to convey. The Blakros family is not lacking in work for others, and with the issue of the Pharaoh of Sphinxes resolved - quite a coup - our focus now turns to another topic. Have you ever heard of the Jeweled Sages?"

The payment seemed fair, and Astoroth promptly split it half. Kozuri had done just as much work as he had, and it was only fair that she receive half the reward. "The Jeweled Sages? I haven't heard that organization mentioned for quite a long time. Do they have ties to the museum?"

"Some." he answered. "The Sapphire Sage, Amenopheus, is a longtime friend and ally of the Blakros family. Unfortunately, neither he nor the rest of us actually know all that much about his organization, but we believe that the group has extensive information on Osirion's past glories. Obviously, it would be of great value to everyone - financially and culturally - if this information could be recovered. The Sapphire Sage has been very busy until recently, but finally, he was able to take enough time to examine his knowledge in more detail and make some progress on locating others of his order. Supporting the Sapphire Sage's investigations is a personal matter for the family, given the debt of gratitude they have - and they'd like to hire the services of someone they know they can trust."

Astoroth nods, intrigued. "Recovering lost knowledge is something I wholeheartedly support. What would the job entail?"

"Briefly? Meeting with an information merchant, who we believe has some knowledge of the stones and their holders. He may want a few jobs done first - for which, you can be sure, you'll be properly compensated - and what happens next depends on the information we get." He chuckled slightly. "We learned a long time ago to not plan too far ahead - you never know what's going to happen next, so making plans as things occur usually works out better."

"That sounds doable. What do I need to know about the merchant?" He chose not to comment on the wisdom of making spur-of-the-moment decisions. He preferred multiple contingencies, but, then again, not everyone possessed his analytical capacity.

"He's not the most... upstanding... individual. If he asks you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to try and talk him out of it. We really do need that information, though." He explained as Kozuri looked on with interest.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Information of that nature is worth much."

The man looked distinctly relieved. "I'll arrange the meeting for tomorrow, then. For today, feel free to relax and enjoy the city. The desert's big, and you should always have the chance to relax after a trip." he chuckled slightly, and extended one hand as he rose - it seemed the meeting was over unless you had anything else to attend to here.

Two questions: is Kozuri going to accept the 5k Astoroth set aside for her? Also, can I create existing magic items that require spells by increasing the Spellcraft DC? Duplicating existing items via spherecasting is complicated if you don't know every sphere talent.

The money was generally meant to be yours, though you can give it to her if you really want to. In general, you can assume that when payment happens, even if it's not mentioned, Kozuri would get a reward of her own that's separate from yours. She is NOT meant to sap potential money away from you, and rewards that are listed are your rewards. XD Rest assured, she'll be fine even if you don't pay her. She's resourceful.

As for crafting, yes, you can create items requiring spells even if you don't know the spell by increasing the DC of the check. Basically, crafting standard items follows the standard rules, crafting items with Sphere effects follows Sphere rules. If you're mixing them... I'll figure something out. XD

After restocking on a few basic necessities, Astoroth retires to his quarters to begin work on a project. His recent experience in the pyramid had reminded him of the importance of contingencies. Ambushes and traps were everywhere, and every bit of extra reaction time increased the odds of survival.

Sandals of Quick Reaction
I believe it's a DC 9 check + 10 for two missing spells. I can pass that easily by taking 10. Of course, it'll take me 2 days, so I'll have to finish crafting later.

Taking 10 is wonderful, yeah? XD

Quite a few hours of work - and eight hours of rest - later, you woke up refreshed and with your abilities fully charged. The half-done item was still sitting out with your tools, ready to be packed up and finished whenever you had time - but today was likely going to be busy, too, so there was that to keep in mind as well. The morning meeting went easily enough, with directions given to the man you were intended to contact. The meeting was scheduled for two hours from now, in case there was anything you wanted to take care of first.

(Food, supplies, chatting up the locals...)

Astoroth purchased several useful potions before heading to the meeting location.

Potion - cure moderate wounds x5
Potion - remove curse x1
Total Spent: 2250gp + 2000 of magical crafting materials

Kozuri followed you to the meeting place. Although its exterior is unassuming, the building's interior is richly decorated with panels of gold-veined marble and bubbling fountains in secluded courtyards. Cool breezes carry the scent of blooming desert flowers throughout the clean halls. Two half-orcs keep watch outside one set of closed doors. After a moment inspecting their visitors, they pull open the doors to reveal a tiled bathing chamber beyond.

"Welcome to Eto," rasped a man - clearly your contact - as he lounged in a steaming tub. "This place certainly knows how to make a traveler comfortable, eh? What can a humble secret monger such as I do for you?" he asked as he leaned forward in the tub and flashed a knowing smile.

Ignoring the bodyguards and superficial pleasantries, Astoroth moved straight to business. "I've been sent by the Blackros family regarding information you have regarding the Jeweled Sages. What do you require in exchange for the information?"

The man snapped his fingers, and one of the guards brought over a piece of paper. He reviewed it, then nodded and held it out. "Help with today's schedule will do nicely. Accomplish these tasks, and the information will be yours. Obviously, I expect... discretion... but otherwise I don't really care how you manage them."

The Paper

Based on the tasks, this man was some sort of criminal. That didn't bother Astoroth. Information was information, after all. In fact, the fact that this individual was being so businesslike was nice. Less need for meaningless chatter. "Very well. I'll take the prayer book now. Where should I meet you when all is concluded?"

"I'll be here." he answered with a chuckle, nodding for one of his men to bring the book out to you. Kozuri frowned slightly, but didn't object. "After all, what good are luxuries if you don't take the time to enjoy them, eh? Besides, it's easier when your partners know where you can be found."

Astoroth nods in understanding and exits the bathhouse. Once they're alone, Astoroth turns to Kozuri. "What do you think about all of this? You seemed to disapprove - at least for a moment."

"Iiiii'm just not overly fond of people like that." she noted. "The manipulative types tend to hog knowledge for themselves even when it wouldn't hurt them to let it leak out and help others. Ah, don't worry - I'm still going to help you, of course. I just... don't want to deal with guys like that more than I have to. I've seen enough sin as it is..." she coughed slightly.

Astoroth nods. "I feel the same way: knowledge should be shared - not hoarded. However, 'information is power. With it, you can control anyone.' I've dealt with many such as him, and while I dislike it, he is a necessary evil at this time." He shows the list to the Ifrit. "Are you familiar with any of these people or places?"

Kozuri just stared at you. "You are kidding... right?" she asked, looking vaguely worried. "You didn't stuff so much in your head that things've started to leak out or anything?" By all indications, she hadn't exactly had the opportunity to travel this world before getting locked up, and afterwards, well... a few decades locked up in an infernal engine was not exactly good for tourism.

Astoroth responded calmly. "I never make joke about someone's knowledge. Assuming ignorance about something is the surest way to make an fool of yourself. The best way to get answers is to ask."

Kozuri didn't look entirely convinced - she just shook her head instead. "I don't know any more than what we've seen. We'll have to ask some of the locals or something if you want to do some research."

Astoroth nodded in agreement. "Seeing as neither of us is familiar with the area, let's accomplish this in an expedient fashion. We're supposed to retrieve a message from this 'Hundredfingers' gang. I propose we start there. The easiest way to find them is for them to do all the work. If we make our inquiries openly, they'll find us."

Diplomacy (gather information): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
Time: 1d4 ⇒ 2

He's straight-up asking locals if they're familiar with the whereabouts of the gang. Should have interesting results. ;-)

By the time you're done, you've gathered quite a lot of information from various people - on the Hundredfingers and plenty more besides.

According to the rumors, Madame Zelekhati recently began hiring more workers at the Dancing Dunes, though she sends away most who don’t have at least some elven blood. Also, most merchants recommend avoiding Beggar’s Alley, which is home to a gang of pickpockets known as - no surprise here - the Hundredfingers.

The Osirionologist Ionacu Lozar is in a terrible rush to get his expedition underway, but he is exceedingly stingy and has no patience for haggling. As a result, the few merchants who are willing to do business with him are taking their time delivering supplies to his caravan’s marshaling area.

Further, something has the Hundredfingers gang spooked. The normally ubiquitous thieves have been avoiding the bazaar for a few days.

Mistress Zelekhati of the Dancing Dunes is a collector of magical dusts and always accepts them as payment for her house’s services or her artwork. Some say that’s the secret of her magnificent tranquility garden. It may even have given the sand life as one customer claims he saw the patterns shift of their own accord.

Finally, an upcoming holy day of Sarenrae has people remembering how a cleric of the goddess tried to purge the land of evil over a hundred years ago; however, the ruins of the old city beyond the cliff walls still hide shrines to the old faiths, especially the serpent cult of Apep. The serpent god’s slithering children are blessed with the ability to go unnoticed by eyes accustomed to the Dawnflower’s light.

A large amount of information - but no gang members. Whatever has them spooked must be serious. No matter, they had a location, so Astoroth began to make his way to Beggar's Alley.

Two rows of decrepit wooden shacks are separated by an alley that serves more as a filthy runnel than a pathway. Broken wooden doors do little to keep the elements or vermin out, but there is little within to steal. Few of the shacks boast more than a chair or two and several threadbare bedrolls. Two thugs are standing by the entrance to the area, mostly just looking menacingly towards anyone that gets too close. Nearby, you could hear a woman advertising the sale of a skin-smoothing salve, purportedly as effective as the Sun Orchid Elixir at aiding flesh (a doubtful claim under any circumstances, but hey, it was a sales pitch - and delivered rather well, too).

This area didn't look like much, but looks are often deceiving. As he entered the alley, Astoroth scanned the area for clues that all was not as it seemed. He paid special attention to the pair of obvious guards, although the saleswoman didn't escape his notice either.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

My SM modifier is really high due to INT-synergy from my Empiricist levels and Snake Style feat.

You do notice an amber talisman around the neck of the woman - marked with the insignia of Achaekek, the Mantis God. Now that was one of the more interesting secrets of the cosmos. More immediately, however, the two thugs were looking your way, and looked like they were about to aggressively try to eject you if you didn't back away from the alley.

A Red Mantis Assassin? That bit of information is interesting indeed... The thugs, though they appeared to be no more than common ruffians, were a more pressing concern, though. "Greetings. My associate and I are here to retrieve a message from the leader of the Hundredfingers. Can you bring us to the relevant individual?" As he awaits a response, Astoroth subtly shifts his weight to the balls of his feet. If these guards react unwisely, it was best to be prepared.

Activating Snake Style. Also, could you put a link to the paper in Campaign Info? It'll make it easier for me to refer to later.

o wo b

"Oh? My, my..." the potion seller said, smiling as she moved forward. "There aren't too many people who want to talk to a gang as unique as those little halflings. Still, anyone can be a customer... are you acquainted with them?"

One of the guards just grunted. "You're not welcome here." he said flatly. "Unless you're looking to get hurt, leave."

Astoroth shakes his head. "Not acquainted, just a messenger. Some guy with a burned up face said they had a message for him. I'm supposed to pick it up."

Maintaining Snake Style

"Injuries, is it?" the woman said, looking interested. "I don't suppose you'd mind showing me to him? I've got a few creams for that sort of thing, and I could always use another customer."

Sense Motive DC 25: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

She's pretty good at hiding her thoughts... but selling things definitely isn't the only reason she's interested in your client.

A Red Mantis Assassin interested in his client? That's interesting information, indeed. "I'm afraid I won't be meeting up with him for some time, as I have several other assignments to complete in addition to this one. Still, I'd be happy to refer him to you when I'm finished. The sooner I get the message, the sooner I can do that. Can you help?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

Kozuri watched as you spoke, her hands hidden in her sleeves - but the woman just smiled. "I'd be happy to wait. Patience is important in business, after all." she said. "Unfortunately, I don't have any contacts with the gang around here. I'd love to know where they are myself, if only so I could do some business with them, too. Come on, boys, why don't you help us out? If we can actually catch a few of them, I'm sure they'd be willing to talk to us."

The guards glanced at each other.

"Well... we don't owe them anything..." one of them said warily. "I ain't takin' a knife for you, though."

"Wouldn't dream of asking." the woman answered reassuringly. "Come on, let's go." she gestured for you to lead the way.