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Only the luckiest or most influential Pathfinders receive invitations to Amara Li’s annual Snapdragon Festival celebration, and wise recipients take advantage of them. The aroma of blooming orchids and flowing wine mixes with the acrid tang of recently exploded fireworks, and the sound of strangely discordant music comes from a duo of Tian women playing an unusual stringed instrument and a reed flute. The crowd mingles calmly, most guests clearly hoping to be seen more than actually paying attention to those with whom they converse, though the plum wine seems to have affected many who now move about the lodge’s grounds waving sparkling wands of fire and shooting whirring, whizzing fireworks into the sky above the koi pond.
In your hand you grasp your invitation to this auspiscious event. Your mission, to meet up with the hostess of the event the venture captain of the Gokan lodge one Amara Li and discuss the next step in your mission. The note mentions the level of class and pomp inherent in this occasion and encourages you to dress in your finest attire. It's final lines remind you that this is a party meant for the uppercrust of Absolam not a dungeon crawl or your local adventurers tavern ready to break out in a brawl so remember this before you try to drag an arsenal through the door.
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Zarunkumar puts on her nicest dress, it's a bit dingy, it's a bit wrinkled, and it's certainly not as nice as the rest of the guests but it's a dress non the less. She tries her hardest to fit in with this high society crowd but it's really not working and the fact that it was impossible to hide her shriveled useless wings and her tail that is continually tripping the other guests it's been impossible to hide in the crowd either. Every so often if someone tried to talk to her the sight of her razor-like teeth sent them on their way. Even Dr. Agon her faithful Compsognathus friend felt very uneasy in this crowd as he rode around on her shoulder. Zarunkumar looked to Dr.Agon and said "Let's go find this Amara Li lady so we can get out of this snob ball." And thus the search for Amara Li commences.
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Selter dons his new outfit and heads for the Snap Dragon Festival celebration. He of course leaves the bulk of his gear behind. Though he takes the wand concealed within his clothing.
He shows his invitation at the entrance. Ssself isss expected thisss night amonssst the revelersss.
He strolls proudly amongst the crowd. His race and companion guarantee he is perceived as outlandish. This does not bother him in the slightest. Though if any of the other guests are actually from Tian-Xa his race will surely be recognized.
He is delighted to hear the music from home and wanders over to listen.
Sithis remains draped over Selter's shoulders watching the crowds without concern. Unless of course, she feels threatened.
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If Zarunkamar felt out of place in a wrinkly dress, the massive Andoran man looked even more so. The only clothes he had were his armor and his winter wear, so he went with the latter. Despite having done his best to make himself presentable, it was clearly an exercise in futility. You can take the man out of the woods, but he clearly won't like it.
Despite his massive frame, the large man seems to shrink inward away from everybody, like he's trying to turn invisible. He brought a small dagger with him, in hopes that the guards wouldn't begrudge him that much, and because he utterly loathed the idea of going anywhere completely defenseless.
Who even decided to invite me to this? There could not be a person less suited for... Let's get this over with, where's Amara Li?
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Falksat enters the party dressing a Courtier's outfit, looking good, tough his face doesn't make a perfect match with that, and carrying no equipment at all. He walks around the party, asking some random servants where would the hostess be, but it seems she is not here yet. He stops by the food table, having something to eat before the hostess call him.
Amidst the guests he sees a snake-like humanoid creature.
Wow! What in Sword's name is that?
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Kaddok grasps his invitation firmly in one large hand as he approaches the ball dressed in his traveling gear. This will have to do, and if Amara Li doesn't care for it, then so be it. I am a warrior, and I perform my duties well. Who cares if I don't dress myself in costumes like these others? Still, when surrounded by all of the courtiers dressed in their finery, he chooses to occupy himself at the food tables rather than chance having to actually speak with anyone.
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You all enter and mingle with the crowd for several minutes with varying degrees of success Everyone make Diplomacy checks.
OOC: sorry bout the wait guys, just started a new job so I've been a little swamped. Also make sure to use the die rolling code built into paizo.com, hitting the show button at the bottom of your chat window should show you the formatting you need to use it.
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OOC: lol, don't worry guys at least you are knocking out those bad rolls now rather then in the middle of a boss battle.
Some of you fare better then others. Soon their begins to be the talk of "The Wallflowers" the new group of odd peasants and under dressed carnival folk that seems to have congregated in the corner of the room. On the other hand though everyone seems to be rather enchanted by Mr. Osmond, survivalist hunter of andoran. They seem particularly interested in his stories of abolitionist rescue, an act that seems rather novel to these foreign emissaries of far off lands. Some of them are still skeptical though of his tales besting a dozen chelish slavers with nothing but his trusty combat knife though. Suffice it to say it seems this blond patriot is the little social butterfly.
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Selter truly enjoys listening to the music from home for a while.
well, enough of that. I probably better find this Amara Li to see what she wants. As pleasant as this is, I doubt she invited a stranger like me just for the musical appreciation.
He asks one of the servers, Where can Amara Li be found?
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OOC: sorry peps, just started a new job at the local college book store and my hours have been crazy. Luckily this opens a little slow but should pick up pretty quickly.
After several minutes of what is mostly awkward conversation for most of you a servant quietly beckons you into a private study deeper inside the complex. Inside you find the beautiful Tian woman known as Amara Li seated on a reed mat before a low table set with an exquisite porcelain tea set. As the doors close behinds you and motions you to sit.
As you do so she begins to speak in a low, hushed voice with nary a hint of a Tian accent,
"Well met, Pathfinders, and welcome to the Lantern Lodge. I hope you find the Snapdragon Festival and my hospitality worthy of your time and energy. I have not brought you here for mere pleasantries, however, and wish to ask you to partake a dangerous mission on my behalf.
Long ago, one of my most esteemed ancestors, who was rich in power but poor in sense, gave a gift to a foreign prince, a gift that prince did not deserve and my foolish ancestor had no right to give—a ceremonial jade katana. At the time the gift was sent, its recipient was invading this island. He laid siege to Absalom from his fortress in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts. Like those who came before him, the warlord failed to take Absalom and perished in the attempt. On the very day of his defeat, his castle crumbled to dust in a violent earthquake and has been lost to the centuries ever since. My family’s heirloom was lost with it.
A recent report by a group of Pathfinders gives me hope that they have finally found the ruin, and I might finally recover my family’s treasure. I’m looking for an intrepid group to retrieve it for me,and I’m hoping that is you. The fame and wealth you will doubtlessly recover will bring you much honor within the Society, and if you deliver the katana to me, you will have my favor as you begin your careers as full agents of the Pathfinder Society.
You would of course be performing this task as members of the Pathfinder Society, but retrieving this blade would be considered a personal favor to me."
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Kent's thoughts seem to play across his forehead,a s he is clearly weighing everything that has been said.
Well, a personal favor from one of the other lodges' captains would serve my purposes nicely. I am curious what the Society's interest in it is, however. Is it just an artifact search? If that's the case than the most I can hope to accomplish here is the discovery of items for personal use and the favor of Ms. Li. Of course, turning her down would probably have a greater negative effect than accepting would have a positive one.
There are ruins and treasures, that doesn't sound like something too out-of-the-ordinary for Pathfinders to investigate. My only question is why the place took so long to find, I hope I'm not coming off as too insolent, but the Grand Lodge is right here, and there are more Pathfinder agents here than anywhere else in the world. It's not as if it was buried in an unmarked grave in Irrisen. Why did it take so long to find?
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Do you have the name of the ancestor or a description of the blade? I would hate to disappoint you by bringing back the wrong katana. Is anything else know about the area?
Amara Li: "The blade is ceremonial and crafted of jade, a mystical green stone native to my lands. As for the reasons why it has taken so long to recover, the blade and complex known as Asad's Keep were lost in an earthquake that consumed the complex after it and it's ruler were defeated 4 centuries ago like so many others that have tried and failed to sack the city at the center of the world. Unfortunately I cannot tell you much of the area. As stated before this fortress was lost in an earthquake 4 centuries ago and only recently was rediscovered. Considering though that any part of it has survived being buried beneath the earth for 4 centuries I doubt any of it's original inhabitants still live within its walls, though I cannot feel as assured of any other forms of defense."
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Zarunkumar has been listening intently, a little sceptical on why she was called to this endeavor, until the men start volunteering. She notices they are all ruff and tumble adventurers who will run in and fight and hope in the end they will be able to walk away so she pipes up. "And Dr. Agon and I will join you to make sure you actually live to tell the tail."
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OOC: Yeah I hope this is just all the bad rolls out of the way. Also sutekh excellent archetype, I thought I was the only one who ran rovers.
She finishes her directions and her advisement to enjoy the party and head out in the morning and then leads you back to the party. As you return to the party Kent is approached by a man in traditional Eagle Knight finery including blue overcoat, golden buttons and eagle epaulettes, and a fine black tricorn hat. Those of you of the Andoran faction quickly recognize him as Major Colson Maldris, head of your faction. He walks over and extends an outstretched hand to Kent and introduces himself, congratulating him on his exploits for the cause. As he continues he begins to speak a bit louder, as if he wants the entire party to over hear him.
Greetings, Pathfinders! I hear you’re headed out into the Cairnlands on official Society business. Best of luck outside the city walls, though you look like sturdy enough adventurers. Perhaps not Eagle Knight material, but qualified for the work of a Pathfinder.
A word of warning, though, friends—beware the walking dead. The crumbling ruins surrounding the city are rife with them, and you’re likely to run into more than your fair share over the course of your career. Undeath and the undead are more than just a physical peril, however. Undeath is the worst kind of slavery. And it should be eradicated like all servitude, whether to aristocracy or to mental control. Being enslaved to the flesh beyond when Pharasma calls one’s soul to the Boneyard is a fate I wouldn’t wish upon my greatest enemy. So while you plumb the depths of Asad’s Keep, remember your solemn duty to your fellow man—both living and dead. Any undead you encounter along the way should be freed of their earthly shell.
If you prove your dedication to freedom, the resources of Andoran will be at your disposal in your future endeavors.”