World's Most Interesting Silverhex Chronicles (001) [PFS Standard] (Inactive)

Game Master Great Green God

The two men surrender claiming nothing but a bit of honest banditry.

"Well, I have in idea. Can you two pick up this pod? If you carry it back for us, we'll let you go with your life." He points to the silvery pod they have uncovered.

The pod (about 10 feet long) weighs about half a ton.

"Hmmmmm." Tawner taps the pod with his blade. "I like Black Maiden's idea."

Collecting their gear and loot, the party descends the hill.

Alright, that was the last entry in Ulisha's notebook of leads to possible treasure. Given the coin that can be acquired for the silver discs and the strange bracelet you should have enough to meet Ulisha's price for the Silverhex.

"Back to see Ulisha. Let's go!"

The party trudges back through the highlands toward Daggermark and small cave a few miles south. It is a tough, weeks long journey back. Finally they arrive back at the hillside they visited months before.

Map folio updated.

Black maiden starts trudging up the hill.

ULISHA! GET YOUR HIDE OUT HERE.

Friendly and personable, those are the words that would never be applied to the black maiden.

TIME TO PASS OVER THE SILVERHEX!

"Very subtle," Tawner chuckles.

Dominic continues towards the cave. "Let's not spook her. We still need her to agree to trade the Silverhex."

Dominic strides to the cave the place is dark quiet. The remains of a campfire that has not been lit in sometime sit at its mouth. In the shadowed sunlight of the cave Dominic notes scattered bunch of dusty camping gear and a the desecated remains of a body, Ulisha's body. The corpse looks to have laid here for weeks. There is no obvious sign of the Silverhex.

"Well, it looks like she didn't take much of our advice. What's the chance she just died of some sickness?" He moves in closer to inspect the body for obvious wounds.

The black maiden sighs and shakes her head.

Shoulda just taken the thing when we had the chance. Perhaps her poisoners will be more amenable. Shall we head to daggermark? Talk to the folks about buying the blade off them?

"Well, it looks like she didn't take much of our advice. What's the chance she just died of some sickness?" He moves in closer to inspect the body for obvious wounds.

heal: 1d20 ⇒ 12

Touching the body is like disturbing a bundle of dried leaves. The face is half gone. The eyes dark holes that stare into dark oblivion. The skin, tight as is pulled back from the mouth leaving the clenched teeth exposed and making the corpse looking as if it were cold.

A pair of small arrows with unremarkable fletching sprout from the arm and thigh and her head seems to loll about like there isn't much connecting it to her torso though the skin seems all intact.

Back to Daggermark? To whom did you want to speak to?

Dominic takes the arrows carefully just in case there's any poison on them. He inspects them carefully, looking for any markings. "Maybe we can find out who these belong to? Otherwise it might be pretty hard to find out who killed her. Unless someone is being flashy with their new sickle."

Then Dominic casts a detection spell to search the cave.

Cast Detect Magic

Perception on the arrows: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Hope Dom has had his shots. Staring at the cut. How did that happen? ;)

There does not seem to be any magic in or around the cave.

The black maiden rolls her eyes.

Not really. We already know the Vessels Between wanted her head. I'm sure they have it. And if not, nobody operates on their turf without permission or at least knowledge.

Wavy lines and soft harp music seem to enfold the group in its entrancing arms as they ponder who might know of the location of the Silverhex. One name comes to mind.

All that is except Fomalhaut, who wouldn't know a flashback if it came with a free sample of LSD.

The Black Maiden sighs.

Or maybe it was the gnome. Of course it was the gnome. It's always the bloody gnome. Let's go a hunting...

She starts heading back to town, but turns into her Lucy form on the way back to better look for the gnomish assassin.

Diplomacy Gather Info: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Dominic rolls his eyes. "Of course, the gnome! Sneaky little one. Well, she shouldn't be too hard to track down."

"I always wondered about that gnome."

It's storming over Daggermark when the party arrives. Rain falls in buckets from the sky down upon the slick cobblestones. The party returns to the six-way intersection where last they encountered the gnome apothecary only to find the corner changed. The alleyway that the little merchant had been peddling her wares from now sports a bit of new construction, a two-story shop not more than five feet wide wedged between the buildings called Tiny Tinctures. As the party watches a fat man squeezes/is pushed from the narrow shop door frame followed by the seeming proprietress Ezmerlily Vanderpoof, who then sees him off with a smile and a wave before locking the door for the day and heading off down the street.

Unaware of the party's presence she reaches the corner, turns, and disappears from sight.

"We've got to get to her." Tawner whispers as loud as he dares. "Lydia, you're faster than me. Can you cut her off while I follow?"

Dominic quickly follows the gnome, turning the corner. He motion for Tawner to follow, and uncoils his whip.

I don't see a map for wherever it is we are. It would help me decide how to go about this...including whether Fomalhaut might actually be more help as my shadow.

Lucy stalks after the woman quickly. As she turns into the alley, she rushes forward, turning into the alleyway to. Jumping the gun a little as she rounds the corner, she shouts....

Little one, you have some property that was promised to us...

I don't see a map for wherever it is we are. It would help me decide how to go about this...including whether Fomalhaut might actually be more help as my shadow.

Map updated.

Looking skittish as Lucy approaches the gnome woman slides a hand into her cloak. "Who are you? What do you want? No refunds! And if this is about the mayor's skin condition and small hands I don't know anything about it!"

*Dies laughing*

Lucy facepalms.

No you... argh. It's about the sword you got off the half orc ijit up at the cave. We where suppose to buy it. Consider it's gone, and your the only other one besides us and a horse that knew she was there, I'm guessing you have it.

She taps her foot impatiently.

Frankly, I don't care if I have to buy this stupid sword from demon of the abyss, I just want to go home! So can we buy the sword from you or what?

diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

"Err. Um. Oh! You mean the sickle! Now I remember. Yeah. I sold it months ago. That's how I got the silver to build my posh new shop! It's small but cute--just like me!" She beams.

"I was askin' for more, but the guy said he was cutting his own throat already."

Lucy groans.
sense motive?: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Who did you sell it to? It's important that I retrieve it...

Assuming we can go a step 'off-grid'...

Lydia and Fomalhaut move to cut off Ezmerlilly's nearest avenue of escape.

Lucy groans.

Who did you sell it to? It's important that I retrieve it...

"How should I know!" she says growing upset. "I don't even know who you are!"

Tawner runs to catch up to Lucy.

"You don't recognize us? We're the people who were looking for Ulisha. But you were looking for her too, right? And you profited from taking that sickle off her body. Now, unless you want us to share this with your customers, perhaps you should remember who you sold the sickle to."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Lucy growls.

You will have a sudden return of memory. And you will have it now, as you tell me where to find the silverhex.

intimidate: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

She steps forward, her eyes turning black.

You will do this, because you enjoy your little shop, and your new little life, and you do not want it cut short in a blaze of death and destruction that will end with your innards being feasted upon by the devils of hell as they play games with your bones. NOW TELL ME WHERE I FIND THE SILVERHEX!

GM face palms nearly cracking his Otter Box.

"Go ahead! This is Daggermark for gods' sakes. I told you where to go and what to do and did you? Obviously not. Because the stupid sliverhacks thingie was still there a week later. I only went because I figured you all looked a bit dim and it turned out I was right to check. Now I have a posh little shop and you've got what? Questions. Well I'm closed for business just now."

Okay GM, I'm lost. Did we fail the mission then? Cause you seemed to direct that we where suppose to follow her and get it from her. So either we're suppose to take it from her where she's hiding it, or we're suppose to track down the sale, and if she won't talk where to do the sale, I'm out of pathfinder approved options.

I should probably note that this is essentially evening rush hour, with all the shoppers and shopkeepers heading home for the day and that there are probably about a dozen people with in earshot.

"You don't recognize us? We're the people who were looking for Ulisha. But you were looking for her too, right? And you profited from taking that sickle off her body. Now, unless you want us to share this with your customers, perhaps you should remember who you sold the sickle to."

"Go ahead! This is Daggermark for gods' sakes. I told you where to go and what to do and did you? Obviously not. Because the stupid 'sliverhacks' thingie was still there a week later. I only went because I figured you all looked a bit dim and it turned out I was right to check. Now I have a posh little shop and you've got what? Questions. Well I'm closed for business just now."

At the sudden appearance of the Black Maiden though, Ezmerlilly screams and drops to her knees in terror.

"I already said, I don't know! All I know is that he local because I've seen him before and that he smelled vaguely of sausages. I swear that's all I know! DON'T KILL ME! I'VE GOT A POSH LITTLE SHOP NOW AND IF THERE WERE ANY FRIENDLY ADVENTURERS IN THE CROWD WHO WANTED TO HELP ME RIGHT NOW I COULD SEE GIVING THEM A SMALL DISCOUNT ON THEIR NEXT ALCHEMICAL PURCHASE!!" she wails.

"How much?" asks one man.

Lucy's eye twitches.

Sausages. Bloody. Freaking. Sausages.

She turns on her heel, passes the man a piece of silver as she stalks past him.

Kick her a couple of times. Preferably in her tiny shins. Don't feel bad about the morals, she's either a murderer or a grave robber, depending on your interpretation. Nothing permanent, just painful.

She then starts stalking after the man known for his sausage-in-a-bun that she had become so familiar with.

Diplomacy if necessary to find dibbler: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

It takes Dominic a moment to realize what the gnome is saying. "Wait, sausages? You mean..." He smacks his forehead. "Dibbler? Oh hell. I'm turn him into a sausage on a bun."

"Cut me own throat Dibbler" Tawner muses. He makes eye contact with Dominic. "You're right. It's him."

After a few inquiries the party finds itself, an hour later at a raucous drinking establishment called the Regular Drum, supposedly the site of tonight's meeting of the the Daggermark Civic Mercantile League.

Inside, the party quickly spots Dibbler at a large table surrounded by similarly shady-looking individuals.

Not even bothering with her Lucy persona, the Black Maiden walks over to dibbler and puts her own sickle on the table in front of him and gives a dark smile.

DIBBLER! How GOOD to see you. I wanna upgrade my sickle, but the one I've been saving up for has been bought! I hear from a good authority that it's been sold to you. So, I'd like to buy it from you please... for the fair market price of course. You know I'm good for it, since you've been with us everywhere we've been to collect the money for it.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Dibbler looks at the farm impliment curiously. "What? You want a scythe?"

The very idea of 'customer credit' seems abhorrent to him and the others at the table. They all sudder.

Tawner walks up casually near Black Maiden. One hand clutches the simple, wooden symbol hung around his neck.

"I think she wants a very specific scythe, Dibbler. And she's willing to pay. I wouldn't play games. You know how she can get."

Diplomacy, aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7

"Oh, the Sliverhacks! Yeah, yeah. Excuse me fellows." He excuses himself from the table and walks over to the cloak room. He finds and dons his overcoat, but instead of stepping out into Daggermark's rain-soaked streets he reaches into one of the cloak's pockets and pulls a placard on a chain and drapes it over his neck. It reads: Ancient Accoutrements - Magic Items for Sale!

"There now. Everything the modern adventurer needs in one coat!" He says rubbing his hands together. "How about something for those long lonely nights in camp. I have love philters! They come in Overly-Studious Wizard, Overly-pious Cleric and Damsel in Distress. Or maybe the legendary, one-of-a-kind Sword in the Stone. It has a +2 rating from JD Power Cabal! It's all the rage, and right now we're running a special. I swear, I'm cutting my own throat on this deal. And of course no adventure is complete without dried Sausage-Inna-Bun™ iron rations!"

Round 1! (Final Boss Battle (lyrics) / Magic Shop Theme ♬ (concert)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ CMOT Dibbler readied to serve
__ The Party

Tawner mutters as he clutches his holy symbol, which flares with a glowing light. A palpable wave of power washes over Tawner and his friends.

Tawner casts Bless (standard). Each ally gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects.