The Moar Core Tour (Inactive)

Game Master BretI

This game is a pre-arranged game of Core PFS, with the ambition of going all the way from level 1 to 12, completing all of Season 5 (with some additions) along the way.

Three years ago, each of you applied at the Grand Lodge in Absalom to become a member of the Pathfinder Society. Your reasons are your own. You performed well in initial testing, at least, well enough to be admitted into training. You have spent the last three years in sometimes grueling training, studying, and testing, in hopes of convincing one of the deans of the Grand Lodge that you are prepared to proceed with your Confirmation and become a full-fledged Pathfinder.

Your moment may have finally arrived. Last night, you received a simple but elegant invitation.

Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig's Paunch one hour before dawn.

You arrived in the dark this morning to a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs with arms folded over the eponymous paunch. The air inside is thick with the scents of sweat, stale tobacco, and last night's dinner special, which mut have involved a lot of gravy. In the center of the room, standing on a table high above the sleeping inebriates, a familiar elf greets you.

"Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!" Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine drops down to a cross-legged seat on the table."Can you believe it? It all started here years ago-- well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof, the Pathfinder Society was born.

“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation."

Janira addresses you enthusiastically. “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”

Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.

Verrix watches Kreighton Shaine walk out of the Pig's Paunch.

He looks at Janira Gavix. "I know that I have been isolated from society -- the only appreciable amount of time I've spent inside Absalom itself is the three years of training at the Grand Lodge, and as you know we didn't get out much. But...."

He pauses, fearing he's about to make a horrible faux-pas. "Isn't it rather... odd... to stand on a table like that?"

The halfling does her best to choke back a giggle, but can't avoid a bit of a grin. “It is a bit odd, yes. Master Shaine is brilliant, if not entirely focused. He has lived a very long time and seen things we could only dream about. I’ve learned to just accept his peculiarities and value any knowledge he wishes to share.”

Janira pulls out a large leather-bound journal and opens it on the table. “Before we set out, we should all get to know each other and review our plan. After all, the most important factors that determine whether an expedition will be a success are cooperation and preparation! I’ll go first! I come from a large family in Eastgate, and I enlisted in the Pathfinder Society as soon as I turned twenty. Originally, I joined to see the world, but now I am determined to learn and preserve as much knowledge as I can. I'm hoping that whatever we find in the caves might be worthy of inclusion in the Pathfinder Chronicles!

Please tell me about yourselves. Where are you from? Why did you join the Pathfinder Society?"

"I grew up isolated high in the Kortos mounts. My adoptive mother is Reyallagrix, a silver dragon, who found me as an infant," Verrix says this as if it were perfectly usual, nothing uncommon about it at all.

"In fact, Draconic is my first language, but my mother also taught me to speak Taldan, as she said it is the language most known by people in this part of the world. She trained me as a paladin of Apsu. As I came of age, she determined that it was important that I be able to make my way in human society. She put me in touch with Ollysta Zadrian, who sponsored my admission to the Pathfinder Society, where I have been training to be a full-time field agent for the last three years."

"C'mon, Astro!" Damiar tries to coax the mule forward. "C'mon, or we're going to be late!"

The mule brays, resisting the pull on its reins... until she pulls out a carrot topped with leafy greens, then suddenly trots forward at such a fast pace that Damiar has to run to catch up with him.

Handle Animal Untrained*: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Damiar looks accusingly at her Iovo. "You know... I wouldn't have to keep bribing the mule if you hadn't make her distrusting by locking her in Aram Zey's office."

As the Pigs Paunch comes into view, Damiar glances up at the morbidly obese pig with a raised eyebrow, the shakes her head. "Humans have the oddest taste." Providing Astro with another parsnip to chew upon, she ties the mule up outside the tavern, just in time to watch Kreighton Shane leap to the table.

Wow. So energetic. Cute, too!

She's almost disappointed when he dashes out again, leaving them in a room that smells too much like gravy. Still, Janira's words about the new mission excite her.

Knowledge Geography: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Knowledge History: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Oh! So close!

Damiar will of course share all that she knows with her party.

She gently kneels down on one knee to address the energetic little halfling.

"I'm Damiar, and this is my sister Iovo." She nods to Verrix. "You were raised by a dragon? Iovo speaks Draconic! She learned it in..."

...the elvish homeland." she pauses, opting for a half truth. "We joined the Pathfinder Society because we both wanted to see and explore more of Golarian. Then... Venture Captain Brackett sent me on my first mission, a trip to a dwarven fortress in the mountains of Aspodell. It was a fascinating old ruin, full of mites and a rather terrifying priestess." She doesn't talk about how she spent the mission in an agony of worry and irritation at her wayward twin, who had been held back at the Grand Lodge as a result of one of her many pranks. "We rescued some prisoners, and earned the alliance and trust of some of the dwarves of the Five Kings Mountains."

She shakes herself. It won't happen this time! We will stay together!

"It was a great mission, and I'm sure this one will be great too! Especially since this time my twin will be with me, and we'll be together!"

She looks around the group, fascinated. Another elf, two very interesting humans, and a dwarf. Maybe he's from the same mountains I visited! I'll have to ask him!

Then she blinks, turning back to Janira. "Do you have any idea what Gillmen are doing so far from the sea?"

___
*Handle animal can be used untrained on domestic animals for commands, but not training.

Feigning a hurt look, Iovo says "Me? Why do you think it is my fault the mule loves carrot tops?"

---
Knowledge (geography): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Iovo nods vigorously as Damiar mentions the homeworld.

In reply to her sister's question, she asks "Do you suppose they might also be followers of Desna?"

Flipping a strand of hair out of her smiling face, she says "Iovo Apastron! This is to be my first mission. There were some things I had to take care of, preventing me from joining my twin on the trip out to the mountains."

No need to mention that those things might have been related to a certain prank. I'm sure they would all be bored by such tales.

Janira's face lights up with each story, and she carefully jots notes into her journal. "Raised by a dragon! How fascinating! How do you think your upbringing has influenced you?"

To Damiar and Iovo, "Yes, I'm glad to have both of you as well! But I do have to ask you one question," lowering her voice, "However did you get that mule up three flights of stairs?"

"As for the gillmen, that’s exactly what we are trying to find out. The only known permanent surface settlement of the gillmen is in Escadar. Why they’re venturing into the foothills of the Kortos Mounts is a mystery.”

Damiar wants to sink into the ground as Janira mentions the mule, and the tips of her ears turn bright red. Still, she whispers to the halfling. "I'm not supposed to reveal Iovo's secret techniques."

You see a tall, heavily armored man with a shaved head and the symbol of a hand on his chest. He has a heavy pack and a glaive strapped to his back. He opens his mouth to introduce himself but closes it again as the elves launch into their spiel. He may not have been cut out for life as a monk, but they did teach him when to talk, and when to listen. When they finish:

"I am Kleines Johan. I always dreamed of being one of the monks of the Irorium, but almost as soon as I began my training, they sent me instead to the paladin school at the Tempering Hall. I thought it was just as, like, an exchange student, but they never sent me back. Anyway, I can serve Irori in my own way, even if it's not how I imagined. When I finished the course of study offered by the Iomadaeans, I went back to the temple, thinking I could work there, but they suggested I go to the Pathfinder Society instead, so here I am. I'm pretty excited to do my confirmation. Between growing up here and going to school here, I've never really had much chance to leave Absolom. I'll be glad to be a full agent so I can go on all those exciting missions I always hear about!"

Garif’s heavy tread disturbs the sleepers nearest the doors as he makes his way into the Pig’s Paunch, as the mysterious note directed. He lifts his eyes reluctantly to watch the antics of the Master of Scrolls, his initial reaction a subdued grunt. The dwarf’s bald pate is blocky and rather pale, resembling a small, weathered boulder as much as a head. Any concern he might have had about disturbing the sleepers in the room is quickly made moot by the arrival of the boisterous elves and the rest of the Pathfinders.

I guess we’ll be travelling together, he tells himself, trying to muster some enthusiasm for the prospect. Wonder how long that arrangement will last.

Turning to the inquisitive halfling – As if there’s another kind? – the dwarf speaks in a measured, deep voice, like gravel being poured slowly into a vast barrel, ”I am Garif Stonetoe, of the Five Kings Mountains. I am here because I was told the Society rocks…no, let me start again. I am still Garif Stonetoe. I joined the Society to see the world – mostly the stone of which it is made. I grew up studying rock and stone, the hardness of some minerals, the precious metals yielded by others, the surprising fragility and striking beauty of others. I was amazed by the variety of them in my home, then in peaks and valleys nearby, and it occurred to me that there must be even more such wonders to see. My kin love their rocks, but mostly for the gold and gems hidden within. I set out to see more of the world, more of the infinitely varied footing on which it rests, the creamy veins running through the marble of a lord’s keep, and the glittering river-stone treasured by a village child…”

He pauses, his pale skin turns slightly pink, as if granite had transformed into rose quartz, and he says, ”Forgive me, I ramble,” before going quiet.

The male elf watches quietly as the group interacts, his emerald eyes flitting from speaker to speaker like a honeybee between exotic flowers. His eyes linger longer on the two elven sisters and on Kreighton Shaine.

As the halfling's eyes turn upon him, he takes a deep breath. Here it comes... When the others follow Janira's gaze, the tall elf shakes his long, sun-bleached hair back and offers quietly, "I am Rees... Rees Kovu. I... always wished to become a member of the Pathfinder Society..."

Will that be enough? Is it what they wanted to hear? What if they ask why, or for details? Mules. Maybe I joined to learn about mules. Or nuthatches. That'd be true... technically... I wish I were as good at lying as the rest of them.

Btw, always feel free to read my spoilers; they're just for fun... a "play along if you want to" opportunity, if you will.

Garif looks about the room, his gaze slowly roaming, then suddenly moving quickly, as he tries to look in all directions at once. "Nico? Nico!" he says, his deep voice rising a little in pitch as he calls out, then makes a little *titititit* noise.

He ducks his hairless head out the door, still making the noise, then calls more loudly, "Nico!" A large cat, looking much like a mountain lion, but with an entirely black coat save for a patch of white on his chest, enters the tavern with an air that combines sleepiness and insouciant disregard for his surroundings. The elegant beast saunters in, startling a few of the tavern's patrons as he passes close to them, before curling up on a rug before the fire, licking one massive paw twice, and going to sleep.

To Kleines, "What an experience that must have been! An Iroran, trained by Iomedaeans! I hope you enjoy this little trip to the Kortos Mounts."

After Garif's story, "Perhaps there will be some interesting rocks in the cave!"

Kindly, to Rees, "And why did you wish to be a Pathfinder? Don't worry, you don't need to be shy around us! It's important that we all trust each other on field missions, like this one."

She continues to jot down everyone's answers, and her right hand gradually becomes covered in ink. She finishes with a satisfied smile.

“Now, I suppose you're all wondering about the details of this mission. After reviewing my mission reports personally, Master Shaine believes it is no coincidence that each time they entered the caves it was during a full moon, so it is also no coincidence that you have been called here now, just a day before the moon is full again. We both believe that tomorrow night is our best chance to find out why these caves are important and what exactly the gillmen are doing in there. The caves we’ll be travelling to lie under the base of the Kortos Mounts. We’ll need to spend every minute of daylight possible to reach the caves by foot, crossing over the Cairnlands, taking the paths to Diobel, and finally making our way through the wilderness. With any luck we won’t run into any of the local inhabitants. Once in the caves, we’ll need to work together to explore and determine whether any gillman are present or have been recently. Keep an eye out for any other clues that might hint at the caves’ significance, too. Do you have any questions for me before we set forth?”

"Do you think we will see any harpies!?!?" Iovo asks with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. With some certainty, she claims "There are supposed to be harpies up near the top of the Kortos Mounts!"

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 3. Nope!

She smiles to Rees, whose mannerisms are so refreshingly different from all the stick up the butt elves she met in Kyonin. "Wow, you've always wanted to be a Pathfinder? We'd never even heard on the Society until--" Damiar breaks off an audible OOF! as Iovo gives her an elbow to the ribs. "Um... Until we left the elven homelands, that is."

Her eyes widen as she sees the large cat. "Nico is lovely! We had animals like this back in the jungles at home, but only rare people could befriend them," she says in an awed tone to the dwarf.

Then she turns to Janira, sharing her sister's excitement. "How about centaurs and minotaurs? They're supposed to be up in the Kortos mounts too! It's a wild place!"

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Verrix answers those who asked him about being raised by a dragon. "I suppose it changed my outlook. I don't have anything to compare it to, so I do not know. Talking to others while training as a Pathfinder, I have learned that many see dragons as distant and forbidding... but also many see dragons as arrogant and haughty. Particularly Silver dragons, such as my mother. This surprises me, for she taught me that one must always be careful about what one does, and put restraints on one's behavior. Were I not raised by dragons, I doubt I would be a follower of Apsu; unsurprisingly, Apsu mostly only pays attention to dragons rather than the lesser races."

After a pause, he says, "I apologize; I am used to thinking of myself as one of the lesser races who will have to work very hard to prove himself worthy, and who will even then never be as worthy of a dragon. But I understand this is part of what leads others to see dragons as arrogant and haughty."

---

After Janira tells them about their mission, Verrix says, "I know nothing of these gillmen. What can you tell us about them? Are they a cult of humans, or a different race altogether?"

Waving her hand dismissively, Iovo says "You will always find people saying others are arrogant and haughty! As if all members of a race were identical in outlook and temperament!"

With a bit more excitement, she asks "Do you think you could introduce us to Reyallagrix?"

Verrix hesitates.

"...I hope so. Many silver dragons participate in crusades and the like. My mother has told me of her kin that work alongside the Iomedeans in Mendev. She is a very private dragon, however. Indeed, I do not even know the personal crusades she has been on herself. I know that more than once she rooted out nests of harpies that had caused trouble for centaurs, or for travelers. Other than that -- she is more private and solitary than many other silver dragons."

After another pause. "Let's give it time."

"Yes, please!" Damiar exclaims. "We'd love to meet your mother!"

Just don't ask to meet ours in return...

She smiles at Verrix. It's a nice smile that lights up her face, and a good change from the more serious expression she was wearing earlier. "I know a little bit about Gillmen. We met a few in the Puddles area of Absalom, when we were looking for a cheap place to rent. We didn't stay there though because it was... rather damp."

Then she realizes, belatedly, that this probably isn't the sort of information for which Verrix was looking.

"They're sometimes known as the Low Azlanti. Gillmen are amphibious; a humanoid race believed to be the last descendants of the ancient Azlanti people." Then she glances at Janira before continuing. "I like history, so I studied up on them when I got back to the Grand Lodge. During Earthfall, the Starstone struck Golarion and destroyed the human empires of Thassilon and Azlant. It is said that gillmen’s ancestors survived the cataclysmic event because they received the blessing of an aquatic entity that allowed them to breathe underwater."

"Interesting," Verrix says. "One thing I hope to learn more about is the history of our land, but I do not know much of it now. I have heard of the Starstone; that is the same one that is in the cathedral now, where Iomedae and others ascended to godhood?"

He nods thoughtfully. "I wonder if the aquatic entity that blessed them with the ability to breathe underwater is connected to this cave they visit on the new moon."

Take 10 on Sense Motive for a 14.

Once his wayward puma is accounted for, Garif gives a bit more thought to Rees’ demeanor. Odd, that elf said he’d always wanted to join the Society, which is clearly not true. Perhaps I’ll learn a bit more about the ways of elves spending time in the company of so many of them on this mission.

As Janira offers the possibility of interesting mineral specimens in the cave the mission will take them to, Garif nods, though his expression could hardly be described as being full of hope. ”We’ll be hurrying to get there, will we?” he asks, his tone unenthusiastic about the prospect. ”I’m not much for hurrying…your rocks, you see, they don’t hurry, and if I’m to study them…ah, well, never mind.” Replying to her question, he asks, ”Any particular hazards we should prepare for? Aside from harpies, centaurs and minotaurs?”

Damiar’s enthusiasm for Nico actually brings a faint smile to Garif’s face as he replies, ”Yes, he’s a lovely beast. To say he’s got a mind of his own would be understating things, though. He seems to have several minds of his own, and it’s a roll of the dice which one will be awake at any given moment.”

Garif stays silent on the question of whether Verrix’s mother is a dragon, though his poker face is poor enough that his skepticism is not hard to spot.

Rees' eyes widen at the large cat's entry, and he glances back and forth between the cat and the dwarf a few times, clearly trying to work out their relationship. He consorts with wild beasts? Just like in the tales...

He opens his mouth to reply to Janira's question, but breathes an almost imperceptible sigh of relief when the halfling continues her questioning to the others and seems to forget about him (for the moment).

Knowing little of dragons or gillmen, he listens in silence to the ongoing discussion, though he frowns a bit at the mention of the Starstone. Surely they don't really believe that myth?

Kleines opens his mouth to say something, each time closing it again as the conversation rolls on to a new topic. You don't know anything about gillmen or harpies or any of this. Close your mouth and learn something! Instead, he takes out a pencil and begins jotting notes on a bar napkin.

About visiting the silver dragon

After another pause. "Let's give it time."

"Oh, I didn't mean right now! I was thinking more like sometime this decade." Iovo responds. "Or if that isn't convenient, the decade after that would do just as well!"

---

All about rocks

Iovo gives Janira a chance to respond before asking Garif "Do you have a favorite type of rock? I must admit, I've never really studied rocks."

"Favorite rock?" Garif says to Iovo, his dark eyes lighting up a bit, glittering like jet in his surprising enthusiasm for the topic. "Well, that's easy!" He dips his broad fingers into a pouch at his belt, feels around in it a moment, then draws out a blood red crystal.

"This is rhodochrosite, also called the blood of the mountain," he explains. "This one's especially rich in manganese, but sometimes they're more full of iron or magnesium, so they're different colors. Not an especially hard stone, but a rare beauty. Interestingly, and unlike many ores, it can be found in metamorphic or sedimentary formations - in the heart of a volcano or the bottom of the sea! Often found in silver mines, though I found this one growing out of the side of a cavern with no known veins of silver. It's rare to find such a perfectly-formed crystal of rhodochrosite, because you need repeated episodes of crystallization in order to..."

He stops talking, sighs, and slips the stone back into his pouch as he mutters, "Forgive me, this can't possibly be of interest."

Iovo tries to follow the explanation, but quickly gets lost in the details. Metamorphic? Is that some sort of magic? Sedimentary is connected with volcanoes? I thought that was a different word. How can something be connected to volcanoes and the bottom of the sea?

When Garif apologizes for overloading her, she just smiles and says "It is of obvious interest to you! I admit that I didn't understand all of what you said, but that doesn't mean the knowledge is without value!"

Musing for a moment, she says "It did make me wonder about the stone though. Is it aligned with either water or fire? You mentioned both volcanoes and the sea, which is why I ask."

To Iovo and Damiar, "“It's a wild place, indeed! The centaurs control the lowlands and surrounding wilderness of the Kortos Mounts. The areas farther up the Mounts are controlled by the minotaurs, and the icy peaks are home to tribes of harpies. They’re always vying for territory, but with any luck, we should be able to avoid them and reach the caves without conflict.”

To Verrix and Damiar, “The gillmen are a humanoid race much like humans save for the three piscine gills on both sides of their necks. They’re a little secretive but not outright hostile. Most live in or near the water. Damiar, you seem to have been paying attention in history! And yes, that is the very same Starstone in the cathedral. Have you gone by to look? It's a beautiful building.”

"What a beautiful crystal, Garif!"

As the conversation dies down, Janira addresses you all again. “Now, before we head out, if there aren’t any more questions, we should take a moment to go through your gear and make sure nothing important gets left out. We'll be gone for several days, so make sure you have food, water, and something soft to sleep on. Do you have a way to make heat and light? Are you prepared for an injury, or for a swarm to show up? Does someone have a rope? Pathfinders are always prepared! If you're missing anything, you can pick it up on the way out of town."

"I believe I have all the things you mentioned, save some manner of healing in case of injury. Unfortunately, such things were beyond my meager means." Kleines looks pretty pleased with himself for not tripping over that last sentence.

Frowning slightly, Iovo says "I don't!"

Tapping her belt pouch and gesturing towards her backpack, she adds "I fear that my coin purse is too light and my backpack too heavy already!"

Opening up her backpack, she says "I have most of the basics -- food, bedroll, rope, grapnel, a full waterskin. Silly me, I did forget to pick up some sort of light source or flint & steel." Smiling, she adds "That I can fix!"

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she then goes on to say "I don't have any healing supplies. I also lack alchemical weapons such as acid or fire." Looking towards Janira, she says "I believe that is what we need for swarms?"

Hefting the silver light mace she carries at her belt, she muses "I suppose I could sell this. I remember Master of Swords Farabellous telling us we would need weapons made of cold iron and silver, but I'm still a little unclear on exactly when I need them."

Oh, the woes of low level adventuring!

Damiar holds up the tapered birch wand that she just picked up with faction credit from her last mission. "I have a means of healing us, if necessary. I also have one alchemist's fire, and one vial of holy water, and..." she starts digging, "...a silver light mace, cold iron rapier, and cold iron tipped arrows." Then she points outside. "And a mule to carry things. Her name is Astro, because she has a white star on her forehead!"

When everyone stares at her, she shrugs. "My one other mission paid well, so I invested in things for this one. You guys can feel free to use some of my things if needed, and then help me out next time when you have the funds."

She take Rees's arm. "Are you ready to go with us? I'd love an escort!"

___
I was going to purchase blunt arrows... but I'll have to wait until they appear on a chronicle sheet. They're not core!

"Different materials are important, too! It is hard when you're just starting as a Pathfinder, but luckily, not every person needs to have every thing. We just need to be sure that the group as a whole is ready for whatever comes our way!"

The flint and steel, along with any other forgotten items, can be purchased on the way out of town.

Smiling at the halfling's response, she latchs on to Rees's other arm and says "Yes, it seems we have some shopping to do!"

Laughing, she says "Let's get going!"

Verrix says, "In addition to the armor and clothes I'm wearing, and my warhammer and short bow, this is what I have."

He pulls a dagger out of his belt and lays it on the table.

He takes off his belt pouch, and dumps out about 15 gold and a handful of silver.

He takes off his backpack, which has a bedroll at the top. Opening the backpack, he removes: a silk rope, knotted and tied to a grappling hook; flint & steel; a bar of soap, six trail rations; 9 torches; a waterskin; an embarssingly inexpensive version of The Draconic Apsu, Apsu's holy text; a journal and a vial of ink and an inkpen.

"I fear I am not greatly prepared for injury, but nor am I trained in the treating of injury. As for swarms, perhaps I should purchase a flask of acid on our way out. I believe I have just enough funds for that."

His complete and perhaps excessive demonstration of his kit complete, Verrix repacks his backpackand picks up his other gear.

Pondering Iovo's question for a long moment, Garif replies, "Aligned with water or fire? Why it is a stone, aligned with earth. Of course, without fire, you would not have the metamorphic activity required to produced the repeated cycles of crystallization needed to lay down the deposits of this particular mineral. And without water, why, no sedimentary rock would exist at all. You see, when exceedingly fine particles of the right material are suspended in..."

Noting at last that Janira is ready to continue discussion of the mission, Garif stops talking. He slips a hand into his belt pouch and draws out the red stone again, running his fingers over it absentmindedly while the halfling addresses them.

"I'll confess, I had not quite finished my shopping before we were asked to meet here, so I'm glad we'll be able to stop on the way out of town. And I'm very pleased to hear that Astro will be joining us - my pack is already rather heavy and I'm not even carrying any rocks! Well, aside from a few in my pouch, that I wouldn't be without. And a rather nice geode I picked up. And some promising-looking serpentinite. And a fetching piece of fool's gold, that is surprisingly convincing...so, really, scarcely any rocks at all."

Verrix looks at Garif and says, "I believe you might enjoy meeting and conversing with a Bronze Dragon."

Rees freezes as Damiar takes his arm. After a moment, he begins to try to extract himself... and then is beset by a second attacker from the flank! Panic flashes across his face for a moment. Ahh!! What are they... oh! Maybe they want to talk to me away from the humans. Maybe they'll tell me their real stories... though I probably wouldn't want to talk about being kidnapped by a foreign power much, either.

"I... err... maybe we should forgo the shopping?" he manages lamely. "It sounds like our... mission... is important..."

The look he throws Janira is one of pleading.

"We cannot tarry, but Absalom is huge and overwhelming with merchants everywhere, packed together like stones in a rockfall," Verrix says. "Surely we will be able to pass one on the way out and make purchases without much loss of time?"

In a very amused voice, Iovo says "Don't worry, I saw a Legitimate Business on the way out of town! The name even says so!"

"It's on the edge of the Puddles district, so it's only a little bit damp!" Damiar pats Rees on the arm. "We'll help you get all the best stuff, including a comb and ties for your hair since you wear it so much longer than we do! You might look good with a braid like Garif's, come to think of it!"

"Oh, we haven't had a braiding party in years! This will be so much fun!"

"We can pick up beads and everything! His hair is as soft as a Dweomercat!" Damiar glances at Verrix and Garif. "Maybe we can get beads for your beards, too! I bet we can find some nice stone ones!"

She smiles down at Janira. "Should we braid your hair too? It's very pretty!"

"And we..." She turns to Kleines, and then sighs as she looks at his bald head. "Er... Never mind."

Verrix blinks a few times as he looks back and forth between the Apastrons

Like stones in a rockfall! I like that! Very tightly packed, but with pore space in between, much like the shops and stalls in the markets here, with narrow walkways between them. Oh, that is a nice metaphor…

Garif replies in a jovial tone – not something the others have heard from him before – and an awkward little grin appears on his face as he says to Verrix, ”Oh, right you are! Stones in a rockfall! That will serve us well indeed.”

As impervious to social cues as he might be, Garif can’t help but notice that Rees feels at least a little uncomfortable with the attention from his fellow elves. Well, elves are all a bit odd to me. I’m sure once they spend a bit of time together, they’ll be fast friends – well, as fast as elves do anything. When attention is drawn to his braid, Garif unconsciously raises a hand to it, then stops himself. When the idea of beads in his braid is floated, he says somewhat abruptly, ”I think we should be going now.”

Rees nods quickly, in vehement agreement with Garif's sentiment. "I don't think I need help with my hair," he protests, "and we should really probably start on our important mission..."

You guys are all cracking me up. Shall we away?

Sure!

The shopping done, Damiar turns to Janira and kneels down again. "Okay, Janira! We bought everything we're going to, I think! And we can have the braiding party later tonight a camp, while we tell stories around the campfire!"

Damiar gestures grandly. "Lead on! We're ready!" On the way to the Kortos mounts, she turns to Rees. "So... Why did you want to become a Pathfinder so early? Did you have a parent in the Society or grow up around Absalom?"

As Damiar turns to address him, Rees groans inwardly. Here it comes...

"Mules!" blurts the elf, hardly waiting for Damiar to finish her question. Coloring slightly (human-like), he amends, "I mean, err... no, I didn't grow up near Absalom. My uh... mother... was a mule. Adoptive mother, I mean. She raised me. But I always wanted to be more..."

Applying a -10 for the lie being "far-fetched". :P
Bluff?: 1d20 + 1 - 10 ⇒ (20) + 1 - 10 = 11

After a pause, he tries to change the subject. "Are you and Iovo really sisters?" he asks, sincerely.

'Yes, Rees, of course we are,' he anticipates silently, mentally kicking himself. What else is she going to say? They're exactly like everyone said it would be; all anyone wants here on the Outside is to "buy" things and "sell" things and tell each other lies, just like that 'merchant' we visited. He gives a slight shake of his head. Just focus on the task at hand... get this over with and we can both go home, together.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
OMG! Perfect!

"Mule?" Damiar's jaw drops as she tries to absorb this shocking declaration. "What, was she baleful polymorphed? Who would do that? Why? That must have been horrible for you!" Then her gaze drops to Astro. "Oh no. Is Astro bringing up terrible memories for you? I am... so very sorry."

"Iovo and I are more than sisters. We're twins, named for two worlds that spun endlessly around one another. Our mom's an astronomer, back in... the elvish homeland." She grasps Rees's hand. "I think I speak for both of us when I say that we won't rest until we can to help you get your adopted mother back."