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

Game Master Great Green God

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Once the party is back in town they can use Diplomacy to ask around (i.e. gather information), or others can make a trained Knowledge (local) to just know someone. Untrained characters do not know enough about Daggermark to even try to make the roll, and can only use Diplomacy.

"Know what? I heard there's a struggling apothecary around here, a gnome named Ezmerlilly Vanderpoof, who's desperate to make good on a contract with the Poisoner's Guild - she bargained for more than she's got, you might say, so I'm sure she'd give a lot to get her hands on what we've got here."

Dominic nods. "Sounds like a better prospect. Let's see if she's willing to buy it."

The party decides to head back. They make their way back through the forest and to the edge of the farmland surrounding Daggermark before dusk settles upon the land.

The party passes through the city gates mid-morn the next day after a damp, misty night spent sleeping on the edge of an apple orchard.

The sky is still gray and overcast.

When they are on the outskirts of town, Black Maiden stops and sighs.

Best let Lucy back in charge...

She breaths deep, and blackness pours from her eyes over her body and clothes until she's covered in it. Then, like ink being pushed away by water, color begins to flow back from her eyes, revealing the well dressed woman from before.

Lucy brushes herself off and shakes her dress once as if dusting filth off of it, tutting.

I swear, she doesn't understand the first thing about decorum. Not at all.

Tawner steps in to Daggermark eager to find something to eat as well as find someone suitable to sell the spider gland.

"I'm not really good at talking to people," he says. "Should I give you guys the gland or just follow you guys?" Tawner's belly rumbles despite sleeping in an orchard. The mushy apples that had fallen on the ground were not the same kind he's had at some of the temples. And those trail rations don't have the same effect that a rash of bacon does for a person's constitution. Bacon, eggs. Eggs of any sort.

Tawner realizes he's licking his lips and holding on to an 'imaginary' plate as he's talking to the others.

A lady puts a copper piece in one of Tawner's upturned palms, uttering a small prayer for him as she passes.

Later, after a midday breakfast the party heads to Market Corners, a six-way intersection near the heart of Daggermark. The place is one Lydia remembers mentioned as a favored haunt of Ezmerlilly Vanderpoof. It is packed with merchant stands, and afternoon shoppers.

The party fans out, but don't find any shops or carts resembling an apothecary's and seem to be at a loss until Lydia spots the small figure of a gnome woman in a long coat lurking just around the corner in a shallow alleyway. Bright emerald-colored hair pokes out from under her broad-brimmed hat.

Lydia points her out to the others.

"That must be her."

"Uh..." Tawner turns to the woman, holding out the copper piece to her until she disappears. "I'll just put this in the offering at the next Abbey."

Exercising caution, though he couldn't say why, Tawner carefully reaches into his backpack and proffers the gland to Lydia, shielding it from curious onlookers. It is not wrapped in anything save dried fluids from the spider's internals. "Okay, so you'll need this. Or do you talk to the Gnome first? I could wait here. Or you could just put it in your backpack. Maybe one of us should go with you as backup? What about Dominic to kind of give you a friendly face? Not that your face isn't friendly. It's actually very, uh, never mind. But, here." Tawner holds out the gland.

Lucy rolls her eyes, pulls out a hankerchief and takes the gland into it, as well as the spider silk ball bundle.

Let me handle this.

She strides up to the gnome and sets the wrapping down unceremoniously on the table.

Ezmerlilly Vanderpoof? Lucy Galonnica. I hear your in trouble. I'm in a spot of trouble. Let's make our mutual troubles disappear shall we?

She opens the wrappings.

Poison produced by giant Spiders, and a ball of their webbing. You need it. I need money. I am the only one who is going to sell you this in time to make good on what you owe. You are not the only one who I can sell it to. Convince me, and quickly, that you should be the one I sell this to. Hurry, before I become impatient.

She gives the poor gnome a look of business like coldness, a perfect calculating machine... one you could put money in and get miracles in return in this case.
Orator Linguistics as Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Curse low rolls on good stats. Could have been worse. Any assists?

"Who told you I was in trouble?" She says eyeing Lucy suspiciously. The party can overhear the sound of glass vials tinkling against one another under her coat. "What's your hurry? You tryin' to pass some old attic cobwebs on me?"

There are multiple ways of negotiating with her (i.e. bluff, diplomacy, intimidate). One way is more difficult than the others, while another is much easier. Failure makes subsequent attempts harder. No successes yet....

Well, no one else is taking the bait, so I might as well take another shot at this and hope for the best.

That seems to rile Lucy up.

Are you insinuating... Her voice is haughty and she stares down her nose at the gnome.

That I, Lucy Galonnica of the Galonnica's of Cheliax, faithful servant of her Infernal Magistrix, would attempt to pass off faulty goods? You are a alchemist of repute, and you know very well that these are genuine and worth the price that I'm asking.

Remembering what city their in, she doubles down on their sneer.

Maybe I'll enjoy seeing what happens to you when you can't make good on your delivery more than I want to get paid. Maybe I'll just decide that my price is increasing, just to watch you squirm. Unfortunately, my companions may object. So either take the contract I'm handing you, and don't count the devil's teeth, or let me know when your funeral will be. I make a dashing funeral bouquet if I do say so myself.

Her eyes seem to flood with black, and the black rabbit on her shoulder growls in a voice to deep for it's tiny body.
intimidate using orator: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Mara assist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
That's a little more like it. Shoulda known lucy would have done better being scary

Tawner cups a hand towards Lydia and says in a soft, even voice:

"Wow. She's grumpier than you."

"Yes my lady just don't let that thing eat me!" Ezmerlilly begs looking at Mara. She tosses a coin pouch from her overcoat at the party as well as a few vials and stoppered jars. "Here take it! It's all I have on me!"

The pouch contains 200 gp. The party also acquires two flasks of alchemist’s fire and three potions of cure light wounds. Note this equipment is only usable during the course of this adventure so it is best to use it before your own equipment. Those who partake should makes a special place for "mission gear" somewhere near the "combat gear" and "other gear" sections on the character sheet to keep track of it.

"Tell you what, I have a line on an easy-to-get artifact you might be interested in. Just promise to spare my life, and it is yours!" She wails.

Dominic stares at the gnome. "Fair is fair, the spider's silk and poison are yours. What sort of artifact is this?"

Lucy tucks away the money and smiles at the gnome darkly.

Go on.

Okay, one quick post.

“Okay. So there was this unappealing half-human (no offense)" Ezmerlilly says with a nod toward Lydia. "Blathering about town about some important blade or sword or something she found. Moon-sliver, Silver-vex, or some such. Kept going on about its history to any who would listen.” The merchant leans in conspiratorially.

“Well, I have it from the horse’s mouth--literally, I'm a gnome, I can do that--that she won’t be needing whatever it is wherever she’s going.” The merchant draws a hand across her neck, making an unpleasant sound.

“The Vessels Between will be on her soon enough. You just need to go out there to her camp and grab that weapon once they’re through, and I just so happen to know where that camp is. So is it a deal?” She says with a nervous glance at Lucy's hare.

"Um..." Lydia blinks in mild bewilderment. Lydia may, at least by some measures, be more Human than not, but seldom are people concerned with that element of her.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"...oh, the Vessels Between?" She looks at the others. "They're one of the local assassin's guilds. Think about the name a bit and you'll get it. I guess we might want to hurry."

Tawner thinks about it, which manages to scrunch his face up even more than normal. After a moment he shrugs his shoulders to no one in particular.

"Okay, but where are we hurrying to?"

Lucy looks at the gnome and taps her finger against the table for a moment in thought before speaking curtly.

Where is the camp. That and the bag will be enough payment.

"Okay, well you see she's hiding in an old cave near a place they used to call the Caves of Chaos back in the day when this here city was just a small keep on the borderlands of the Taldan Empire. It's a few miles outside of town. Here, I'll draw you a map."

What's the plan?

My plan was to go get this minor artifact. Anybody else object to this plan?

I'm good with that. We certainly have more items to get from the journal, but let's follow this thread.

I have no objection and neither does Tawner but he is a questioning sort of fellow, so...

"This isn't one of the items we're supposed to be getting is it?" He thinks about it. "I guess a historic weapon would be interesting to the Pathfinders." Tawner looks to the others to decide.

"Well, then. Shall we see about this artifact? Chances are its just a ruse or rumor gone amok. But if there's any truth to it, then it could be a secret worth seeing."

-Posted with Wayfinder

GM Hint: There's something vaguely familiar about Ms. Vanderpoof's descriptions.

So I've got one 'let's hurry'. Did you want walk it (a couple of hours)? Get horses? Shop a bit while you are here in among the shops?

I say we rent horses. Anyone opposed?

Dominic concurs. Horses!

"Horses fer sale! Horses! Horses fer sale! Hey there fella, you look like you could use a horse!" Says a man in front of a stable holding a tray full of hot sausages and little buns.

Light Horse (900 lbs)______(buy) 75 gp

Pony (800 lbs)__________(buy) 30 gp

Carriage_________(buy) 100 gp____(rent a ride) 3cp/rider/mile
Cart_____________(buy) 15 gp_____(rent a ride) 1cp/rider/mile

"Meat" Sausage in a Bun___(buy) 3sp

"Sausage while ya look 'round?"

"Hey, why not a carriage?"

Lucy nods to Lydia.

Good idea. We may want to walk the last of the way, but it will be far more sensible to ride on the way there, both in terms of cost and comfort.

She turns to the barker.

I will be requiring a carriage to take me and my escort to the Caves of Chaos. Will you be able to provide the transportation?

She holds up a gold coin with a smile.

There may be a large tip in it for you if you can make it fast.

"Hey, why not a carriage'?"

"'Why not a carriage'? Enough room fer a double date, and eventually the modern family. Why I could could give you a deal on this little number right over here. Go ahead kick those wheels--not so hard. Ahem, This royal conveyance was once owned by the Prince of Jalmeray who only ever used it on religious holidays."

I will be requiring a carriage to take me and my escort to the Caves of Chaos. Will you be able to provide the transportation?

She holds up a gold coin with a smile.

There may be a large tip in it for you if you can make it fast.

"Oh! A ride! Sure!" The barker says staring at Lucy's coinage the way most other men stare at Lucy herself. "Sausage in a bun?"

Lucy grins at the man.

Now darling, doesn't that usually come later in the evening?

She titters as she moves to the carriage, waiving the others to follow along.

Yes dear, food for all of us if you have it, let us be on our way quickly... I don't like to be kept waiting.

Grrrrrr....

Says the red eyed rabbit looking intensely at the man from Lucy's shoulder as she saunters up to the carriage.

Dominic grins at Lucy's banter. "Oh Lucy, you really must see my mother for a spiritual experience. I think she would be delighted!" He climbs aboard the carriage and graciously accepts the bun when it's delivered.

And then you bit onto them, and learned once again that Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler could find a use for bits of an animal that the animal didn't know it had got. Dibbler had worked out that with enough fried onions and mustard people would eat anything.

Dibbler went about hitching up four old nags to a carriage covered in pasted on notices advertising such things as sausage-in-a-bun, mail order Fong Shooey lessons, pies with personality, and music with rocks innit.

"Right! We're off!"

And with, a slight jerk, the party was.

A mile outside of town the Dibbler pulls off the road to re-don his apron and tray, and offer the party some nominally priced on-road refreshments in the form of sausages in buns, and genuine 150% natural spring water.

Lucy pays some copper for some refreshments, daintily eating while her rabbit rips into a sausage like a wild dog. She looks at him and gives him a not to happy grin.

I do appreciate the additional refreshments. However, I must note that your delays are reducing your tip. Just thought you should know.

Dibbler redoubles his efforts and shortly thereafter he pulls to a stop on the edge of the road and points the party in the direction of a rolling set of lightly wooded hills.

"If you are so inclined, I have a collection of genuine, authentic, treasure maps back at the office that I could make available to you for a small sum."

Following Ezmerlilly's advice. They draw near the the so-called "Caves of Chaos" and then veer off into a narrow vale to find the lone cave marked on her map as the "Cave of the Unknown".

It is sunnier outside the city, but early evening, and the shadows are growing long.

Map Updated.

"Hey Lucy. Can that rabbit look up ahead? I saw a lady in a market once talking to her raven and it was telling her about some people she was looking for. It was speaking perfect Common!"

GRRRRRRRRRR

Lucy sighs, exasperated.

Sadly, no, Mara can't speak. Something about their "True voice would make the souls of the damned weep" or something like that. Fluffy boy never talks no matter how much I coax. Someone else better suited to scouting will have to go ahead on this one.

She flips the cart man a gold coin.

Stay here and wait and they're will be another one in for it to take us back to town.

Tawner nods. Then inspiration. "Fomalhaut Fomalhaut FOMALHAUT!"

Nothing.

Tawner shrugs his shoulders and then looks for some coins in his backpack to either settle with Lucy or the driver.

Tawner hears a familiar hollow voice from somewhere behind him:

"What?"

Startled, Tawner jumps. "Uh. Hey. I was just ah...well now that the day is ending, you and Lydia can separate right? And check out our destination." He holds up his arms. "I mean, you're as distrusting of others as I am. Let's see if this task isn't set against us by some cut throat." He calls out: "—not you, Mr. Carriage Driver!"

Lucy looks to Tawner.

I've already paid the driver. We can handle the rest when we come back. Come along everyone...

She whispers to the others as they walk away...

I'd rather not let her out while a non-pathfinder can see.

"Can you see in front of you, human? If you can, then it's not dark enough."

Nice catch, Tawner, but apparently we're stuck together unless it's total darkness - so as long as there's so much as starlight, that's still too much.