Kal tilts his head in acknowledgment of the woman's words, then nods at Bjorkus. "We can probably leave within a day or two."
"We'll visit Bag island first and then back to Quent."
Following Tessa’s second lead, the you voyage to Bag Island, home to the largest population of half lings in the Shackles. Beachcomber is one of Bag Island’s rowdiest ports, and many of its inhabitants are rumored to be secret worshipers of Norgorber.
Bjorkus realizes that openly asking about a hidden temple to Norgorber would likely meet with failure, if not outright hostility. Instead, youcan make a Bluff check to get your meaning across with innuendo.
Bjorkus approaches some local halflings.
"Good morning my tiny friends", the bull began.
"Where would visitors to the isle find a place to relax and reflect on things?"
The first week you feel completely fine, however sometime during the second week, you wake up to find that you've grown a small blacked furred curly tail. And during a conversation with one of the crew, you find yourself letting out an uncharacteristic snort. You also have this odd craving for apples.
Bjorkus is directed to a nondescript warehouse in the town’s Lurker District. Inside the warehouse, you are met by a halfling dressed in the black clothing of an indentured servant of an aristocratic household and wearing a cherubic mask. As long as you enter peacefully, the obsequious
half ling guides you to a discreet soundproofed room in the back of the warehouse. "I am Slip. How may the Temple of the Hidden Name be of service?"
Bjorkus looks around anxiously as the party is lead to a decidedly out-of-sight locale.
"We're on the lookout for information about movements Cheliax has been making. We believe they've got their devil-f~$!ing eyes on the Shackles and we need proof. We were told you and your patron were in to information like that."
You find it does nothing as it's not a disease. :)
"The Reaper of Reputation knows much that is hidden, but that secrets
always have a price. The Temple of the Hidden Name deals in information, using secrets as currency. To learn one of the temple’s secrets, you must pay with another secret of equal value. Fortunately, there is information that we want." Slip starts pacing around the room.
"A famous ship called the Brine Banshee mysteriously disappeared several months ago. The Brine Banshee was said to have been one of the fastest ships in the Shackles, with unparalleled handling for a vessel its size, which many believed were the result of several potent spells woven into the ship. If you can find what happened to the Brine Banshee, and discover the secret of its unprecedented speed and maneuverability, you can trade this knowledge for the information you seek. Do we have a deal?"
No, but Remove Curse or Break Enchantment would do it with a successful caster level check.
Kal has never heard of the Brine Banshee.
"That might be without our power. Do you have any leads for us? Where was this ship last seen?"
"I will give you this one for free as a token of good faith. The Brine Banshee did visit Quent before it disappeared, so perhaps the House of Stolen Kisses has a lead on the Brine Banshee’s fate. Though I'm sure it offends your sensibilities to visit such a place." The last line dripping with sarcasm.
That evening, Kal approaches Bjorkus. He looks a bit flushed, but whether it's embarrassment or something else is unclear. "I, uhh... I may need your help. That spring I visited? Well... would you assist me on the morrow in procuring the aid of a healer?"
Bjorkus looks to Kal with minor alarm.
"Is something wrong? Are you sick?"
"Uh..."—he snorts uncharacteristically—"you could say that..."
Bjorkus first ignores the expression before taking a moment to realize that the it was decidedly un-humanlike.
"I will help you find the proper healer", the bull says with a nod.
"But we're not going to find what you need here. You're gunna have to hold on until we get to Quent. This place isn't big enough."
Kal nods. "I suspected as much... I tried looking today. I'll hold out."
His tone belies his words; he sounds shaken.
The party journeys to the lively seaport of Quent on the northern coast of Motaku Isle, making their way to the House of Stolen Kisses, both a holy temple to Calistria and a brothel. When they present Tessa’s note, scantily clad acolytes escort them through sensually decorated corridors to the chambers of the temple’s high priestess, Gabrielle Maven. "I see you are back. Business or pleasure? Or both?" She smiles seductively.
You don't feel any other effects, yet though you still have the ones you gained previously.
Bjorkus stands up straight to bring the full measure of his presence to bear.
"Business today I'm afraid. First we have need of healing magic. My friend seems to have caught a disease of the magical nature. I trust as this temple's high priestess, his treatment is within your power?"
"Second we need information. About Chelish movement here in the Shackles and about a lost ship called the Brine Banshee. I don't know what the price is for information of this type costs but you'll find I'm more than equipped to handle whatever the cost might be."
Kal frowns slightly. "I... don't think it's a disease, really..."
"Oh, what naughty things has he been up to?" She smiles lasciviously. "The House of Stolen Kisses has leads on such information, as many people share their secrets with the temple’s sacred prostitutes in the heat of passion. But these secrets are shared in confidence, and we cannot simply give them away for free. If you were to perform a service for the temple, however, they could expect such knowledge as payment." She saunters over to Bjorkus while wiggling seductively.
"A ship owned by the temple, the Lady’s Sting, recently went missing. Our magic has revealed that the ship was attacked by a group of pirates
who deliberately lure ships into danger so that they can salvage the cargoes of the resulting wrecked ships. Piracy is a fact of life in the Shackles, of course, but the Lady’s Sting was carrying a relic sacred to
the faith—a gold-plated wasp statue known as the Golden Vespal. The temple seeks revenge on these wreckers who would dare attack one the faith’s holy vessels, as well as the return of the Golden Vespal, but they have so far been unable to locate the wreckers that attacked the Lady’s Sting. you can find the wreckers, enact the goddess’s revenge upon them, and recover the Golden Vespal, I will give you a lead on the spies they are seeking."
"As far as the Brine Banshee goes, I can give you that information for a different price. I've done many things with many people in my time, but I have never sampled a specimen such as you." She says hanging off Bjorkus. "Spend the night here with me fulfilling my every fantasy and I will tell you. And I'll agree to heal your friend as well when you come back with the Golden Vespal, free of charge."
"How about you heal me now, as a... *snort* way of ensuring our success?"
"No, it doesn't look like it'll kill you so it'll be fine. I also need time to figure out what exactly is wrong with you."
Bjorkus cleared his throat and leaned in giving Gabrielle a brush of what she was in store for her.
"You have a deal priestess. We'll find your relic and ruin the ones that took it. In exchange, you tell us about the spys we're after."
"Tonight, I give your goddess something to be jealous about and when we get back, you give us information about the Banshee and magic my friend back to normal."
"That sounds purrfect. Come back tonight after hours and I will show you why I'm the head priestess." She whispers to Bjorkus while grabbing him underneath his loincloth.
Bjorkuss stamina is put to the test, but he passes it easily enough, though nervousness sets in and he does not perform as he would have liked to.
After reflecting on the lack of screams he was used to hearing, Bjorkus dressed and bid his newest conquest farewell.
"When I return I'll find my way back here. I don't consider my work done if my partner can walk away the next morning", the bull said with a soft rumble.
"Oh, my legs are weak from the effort. But your execution was a bit off. You do have some potential and I think your stage fright is cute. Maybe after you're done with the task, we'll go again."
"I'm not accustomed to women as talented as yourself. You'll see next time."
"Of course not. Don't be so hard on yourself."
After meeting up with the group, Bjorkus hits the streets of Quent for information on the pirates that ransacked the Lady's Sting.
Bjorkus finds out that the wreckers you seek are led by a half-orc wizard named Vakarla, and operate from a hidden island base southeast of the Rampore Isles.
"Let's go." snorts the now-snout-nosed Kal.
Bjorkus alerts the crew and sets sail immediately.
Following the lead Bjorkus gained, you sail to the Ramppore Isles in search of the wreckers who attacked the Lady's Sting.
Soon a small merchant sailing ship with its sails lowered and flying a Rahadoumi flag comes into view. The nameplate reads Shining Star. When you get closer, it looks like its frantically trying to its raise sails and get underway, fleeing your ship.