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Venture-Captain Drandle Drenge, a stout and hardy Taldan with thin, graying hair and a thick, bushy mustache, unfurls a map on his butcher-block table and places a meaty finger on the parchment. “The abandoned district of Beldrin’s Bluff was once the gem of Absalom’s Precipice District — now it is but a weathered crag of broken rock at the edge of the roiling sea. When the great quake hit ten years ago, entire blocks of the Bluff sheared from the mainland. Cliffside tearooms and exclusive estates fell into the waves and carried hundreds of nobles to a watery grave. An elite academy, called the Tri-Towers Yard, remained on the mainland, but sank wholesale into the earth. Children unfortunate enough to survive the quake lay pinned under debris as sewer water slowly rose from the ground and drowned them. Nearly every student perished. Today, crumbled stone walls and weed-filled lots sprawl where gentlemen’s clubs once filled with pipe smoke and hobnobbing lords. The Drownyard - er, that’s what the illmannered call the school these days — lies behind a fence of black iron pikes, constructed by the families of the dead to discourage morbid trespassers. Even respected archaeological groups have been denied official access. Our own Society has itched to explore the site ever since the quake — that is, ever since we discovered that the school fell through the roof of a lost necropolis. Unfortunately, the emotional trauma attached to the school has remained fresh. But finally, after ten years of mourning, the politically-connected families of dead students have sanctioned our delve request.”
With a toothy smile and a clap, Drenge says, “I’m pleased to announce that I’ve selected your team for the delve. I want you to find a way into the necropolis, document your findings with professional detail, and recover artifacts of historical significance. The Society is interested in one artifact in particular — a two-finger ring topped with a ruby salamander.”
Drandle Drenge waits a few minutes to answer questions.
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Jaegar clears his throat awkwardly, and excessively. With a slurp he reclaims some of the spittle that snuck past his lips. He puffs his chest as though he meant the gaffe.
"You mentioned both a necropolis and a mass drowning in sewage. I suppose undead are to be anticipated? Both young and old."
He looks pleased with his clever observation, then realizes the insensetivity of his phrasing.
"I mean the undead are both old and young like some are from the drowning and some are from the necropolis. Not like undead young and undead old, but undead new and old and..."
Dignity shattered, he feigns obsession over the map.
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Kristen smiles faintly at Jaegar's attempts to hold onto his pride. She walks up to him and places a dainty hand on his arm. "Do not worry, my friend. Whatever undead creatures we face, we will destroy them." She looks as comforting as possible, trying to reduce his awkwardness after his perceived gaffe.
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"In ancient times, a wealthy merchant cut a ruby salamander ring from the hand of young cat burglar named Horastian. Horastian later became a renowned information broker and art collector. The Pathfinder Society hopes to magically locate the long-dead thief and his fabled hoard by using the ring as a divination focus." Drenge answers to Maeron's question. "Your activities are ok for the important families and it is very likely that you have to face undeads."
Drandle Drenge pulls an iron key from his waistcoat. “I leave you with the key to the Drownyard gate. Remember, the Drownyard is a deeply personal site for many powerful Inner Sea families. You will tread upon the graves of their children. Be sure to give the site the respect it deserves.”
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"Venture Captain, can you provide a copy of any relevant maps, as to help us prepare? Is there anything else you can think of that we may need?"
Jaegar waits patiently until the chatting is done with VC Drandle Drenge.
To find out what he can about the 'Drownyard' itself.
- Ghost Salt
- Holy Water
- Blunt Arrows: Cold Iron & Silver
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"The last real owner was Horastian. The merchant who had the ring when it was last seen had been put to rest in the necropolis below the sunken academy." Drenge answers Gilfroy's questions. He hands you a simple map of the necropolis. "This is everything I have at the moment."
While Verhaal and Jaegor try to find more information about the Drownyard a young man approaches them and Hands them a letter. He is gone before you can ask any questions.
It has come to my attention that you and your cohorts
were chosen by the noble Pathfinders to enter and
explore what became of the Tri-Towers Yard. As my
daughter, Junia, was lost there during the great quake,
it seems only proper that you attend the banquet I am
holding tomorrow in memory of her. You and your friends
should wear your finest and arrive at the Dacilane Estate
in the Ivy District at sundown. As you are probably not
accustomed to the traditions of nobles, not attending
this dinner would be a serious slight upon the memory of
my daughter.
Sincerely,
Lady Miranda Dacilane
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"Sounds good to me. Time to do a bit of shopping."
When he gets the chance, Gilfroy will hit up a high-end tailor, and purchase a noble outfit and 100gp of accompanying jewellery. The outfit is in a Varisian style, with several spider silk scarves to accessorize it.
His bloodline may be serpentine, and not noble, but at least he will look the part. Come to think of it, serpentine and noble bloodlines are probably not all that dissimilar.
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Maeron wrinkles his nose with distain.
"Whilst I sympathise with this woman's loss, I will not pander to her ego by garbing myself in different attire. My clothing reflects the forest and the natural world, for there is nothing more beautiful."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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After dressing yourself properly (or not) you arrive at the address on the invitation to find a sprawling estate surrounded by a tall, wrought-iron fence and overly decorated in statuary, fountains, and a carefully landscaped garden.
A servant picks you up at the entrance and guides you through the garden into the house, you walk through a big lobby until you reach a room. It is equipped with gilded furniture, painted ceilings, gold-spun wallpaper, and valuable Chelish rugs. The servant asks you to sit down on one of the leather couches while he serves some refreshments and canapés. "Lady Dacilane will be with you in a few minutes. Please sit down and have an aperitif." he says before leaving the room.
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After instructing Tenderstump to remain in the garden, Maeron heads inside with the others, ignoring the comment about him remaining outside. The druid appears even more out of place within the opulent wealth of the mansion.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"It's a bit too much for me, personally. When you have a house this elaborate, you have to have an army of servants to keep it up, and then need a bigger mansion! There's a delicate balance between using one's family's wealth to support the peasantry and maintaining a lavish enough lifestyle to suitably impress the other nobility and maintain your ability to support your peasants. But this is a city. Does her Ladyship own manses or estates elsewhere, because if not, what's the point of any of this?"
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Kristen and Gilfroy able to find out that Lady Dacilane is still in grief and despair because her daughter died in the Tri-Towers Yard. Every year over the past ten years she's holding a banquet to honor her.
Lady Dacilane lets you wait about ten minutes before she welcomes you. "Greetings, Pathfinders. I'm glad you could make it to today's dinner for my daughter Junia. Please come with me, I will guide you to the dining room."
Once in the dining room you see members of the nobles families of the Beldrin’s Bluff. "Please sit down at the other end of the table. We are going to have a 10-course affair so leave some space for the desert."
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Jaegar will trail Kristen, hoping her angelic radiance will mask his diabolic homeliness. Furthermore, Jaegar will attempt to play the role of advisor to Kristen, and develop a series of 'tells' if he thinks someone is lying.
Sense Motive: +3
Perception: +6
Diplomacy: +7
Intimidate: +7
Bluff: +10
He turns quietly to Gilfroy and says, "My family used to own many mansions and provinces in Sarkoris. Estates such as this are never the doing or pride of a single person. Generations of fastidious cunning are necessary in most cases to build such an empire of wealth. What's truly impressive is how fast a demonic incursion can eliminate centuries of prosper."
Jaegar gaze loses focus from Gilfroy and seems now distant, "We Tarnshiav's cling to the Frostmire Fen in hopes of someday returning humanity to the land and our family to their place. We are losing..." He trails off to a whisper.
With that, Jaegar stares blankly at the collar of Gilfory's coat until offered a drink by a passing servant, snapping him back to the task at hand.
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Vrald knows some of the nobles in the Dining room. There is Goodman Hugen of House Candren, the owner of the Sea King Shipyards. And Lady Darchana of House Madinani. They did not loose children in the academy, but attend the yearly banquet to show sympathy.
For dinner the servants offer different salads and soups, three courses of meat with potatoes or vegetables, for desert they serve fresh fruit pies with vanilla sauce and the dinner is ended with a cheese plate from all around Golarion.
After the dinner the guests meet in a huge hall where they can talk and have more drinks.
During the evening Lady Dacilane approaches you. "My daughter Junia was one of so many children lost. Hundreds of them pinned under the rubble in that sinkhole. The black water rising — the kids screaming." She quiets for a moment. "None of us could get to them. I would be very happy if you could bring me anything you find from her."
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Vrald listens to Lady Dacilane with sympathy.
"Do you know where she may have been? Do you have a picture of her we could see?"
The young knight finds dealing with such things difficult, and he turns away for a moment, a tear in his eyes.
"We will do what we can to provide you a worthy memory of her."
He works his way through the crowd and spends some time with Goodman Hugen. "Goodman! A sad memory we share here. I was wondering if any of your people had knowledge of layout of the Tri-Towers Yard these days."
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Lady Dacilane gestures to an enormous painting of her daughter — a rigid, sharp-featured young girl with long black hair — that looms over the entire banquet hall. "This is how she looks like. She has a golden bracelet on her arm with her name on it. If you can bring that back."
While talking to Goodman, Vrald gets a description of the Tri-Towers Yard 10 years ago. Parts of the building has been destroyed completely. "Nobody entered the yard since the big quake." he says "It's too dangerous for normal people like us. But I'm sure you will find what Lady Dacilane is looking for."
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Maeron remains silent throughout the meal. Feeling both uncomfortable and at a loss for how to correctly conduct himself.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Once the dinner is over, Lady Dacilane shows you the door herself, wishes you luck in their exploration, and impresses upon you once again how important it is that she receive any word of her daughter.
After a short trip through Absalom you arrive at Beldrin's Bluff in Precipice District. Beldrin’s Bluff is a rotting ghost town at the edge of a hungry sea. Throughout the derelict landscape, seagulls perched on splintered timbers reflect your passage in their glassy black eyes. Overhead, dark clouds move ashore with the promise of a storm. You approach the Drownyard soon after.
A fence of black iron pikes surrounds a block-wide yard. Dead tree branches reach out from the fence like the arms of emaciated prisoners desperate to escape. A man is on the inside, cutting the trees down. Some of the dismembered branches remain, stuck in place by knotty elbows swollen around the iron.