"Show some respect. Your wares are substandard dwarf! We are ready to do business, but the price has tripled, and you do not have enough wares!"
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Just before we arrive Etain casts comprehend languages. I will be able to understand them, but for now I think I will keep it between us that I do. They might say more than they want if they think nobody can understand them.
So they are more interested in the donkey for food than the wares. Interesting maybe they will settle if I can aquire a cow for them.
I agree the quality of the wares is good, but I do see something that is below quality. Now that I look at you this beast of burden is almost inadequate for customers such as yourselves. What if I could provide another donkey, or cow to pull your wares?
"Your tongues of silver do not feed our children! Bah! You do not have good trade. The deal is off!"
....indeed, Murqual warned you that this might happen.
Jean Paul's tone and body language match the gnolls. With a snarl that start harsh, but softens quickly the gnolls acquiesce. The gnolls
hand over their own crate and lead the doomed donkey and cart away.
Apparently, with the right tone, the job can be easy.
Now, with the goods, there's little to do but return!
Nope. You didn't need to give them to the gnolls.
Jean Paul doesn't notice any magical auras...
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Stepping up to the crate her curiosity is piqued as to what gnolls would provide a merchant on the regular, Etain rapps on the box listing to it like one would a birthday gift, and gives it a little sniff.
If she finds nothing curious. Agreed let us get on with the task. Although, all he is expecting is the goods, the gold could come back a little light. She asks to get some measure on her fellow pathfinders.
Ohh and I don't know if any of you have picked up on it, but I have a pretty good suspicion that the "master" who is giving the hand signals isn't the master.
Indeed, sometimes in Pathfinder life it IS that easy!
You return for a good night's rest, and in the morning return to Murqual’s. He is happy to hear that all went well, "And did you need the extra as I expected?"
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An honest man, Rodric says, "We did not. I hope that allows you to see that the Pathfinder Society is, perhaps, over-qualified for simple negotiations. And that dealing fairly with us is wise for every businessman."
The cleric of Shelyn gestures for the coins to be returned. Then hopeful, he adds, " Unless you would like to make a donation to the church? Shelyn welcomes generous patrons of the arts."
Etain gives a crooked smile, "I'll take that money back if you didn't use it. As for the felines, they're for my niece’s birthday. Even shady merchants can have a soft spot for family... Now, if you'll excuse me."
You get the impression that he's looking to get a good night's rest, and that he's not overly annoyed with your curiosity.
The next morning, your mission is to procure a rather potent and enchanted mirror. "“An acquaintance of mine owns a mirror I would like. She isn’t willing to deal in gold for it, and her desired coin is not one I am quite willing to pay....”
“Madame Jelaris is an alchemist trying to develop an equivalent of the sun orchid elixir. I don’t know if that is possible, but she has a means to alchemically extract vitality. Essentially, she can make one older. She claims the ‘years’ of life extracted are invaluable in her research. And she requires twenty years from me before relinquishing the mirror.”
“Magic of course. Make the "purchase" for me, of course! Twenty years of my life, all at once, is too dear, but twenty years divided among you lot? That’s little enough, I think! Plus I’ll let you in on a secret: Madame Jelaris is an inveterate gambler. If you wager the years, you might walk away paying nothing! Or paying twice as much. If you do that, a word of advice: don’t cheat. Or at least don’t get caught cheating.”
Located in the shadow of Nethys’s temple, this higher end shop emanates scents of perfumes, medicines, and the dusky tang of alchemical experiments from behind a beaded doorway. The front of the store has shelves for the casual shopper, with scented oils and colognes in faceted bottles on delicate shelves. Further back, more solid looking containers under locked glass offer alchemical wares of the more adventurous and martial varieties. A marble counter blocks off the very back of the shop, where a bell sits beside an alembic bubbling away with a cerulean liquid. Behind the counter, another beaded curtain leads deeper.
A single servant stares at you as you enter.
"You didn't sign a contract Pathfinders, I'll take my other task done. I made a deal with you. Two tasks and the agreed upon promissory note. The choice is yours."
“A mask, supposedly able to bind souls. Unfortunately, it already has something bound to it. Examination indicates that ‘something’ is a guardian. I would have you dispose of the guardian. Somewhere away from the shop, of course. Maybe not on the streets, either—we don’t want any passerby witnesses or victims. There’s a flat-roofed warehouse nearby. It should suffice.”
He pulls out the mask, and it indeed looks ancient, in the style of Osirion from ages long past. It's a crimson-and-white lacquer mask.
“I’m not entirely sure what's inside, but it has the stink of Abaddon about it. Given the origins of the mask, I believe it’s a creature called a div. Here, take this scroll, upon the scroll is the command word to release whatever is inside.”
Strong conjuration, but it's a bit murky, and you struggle to learn more.
Etain knows that if it IS a div, the possibilities are endless as to how powerful the creature is. Given the context clues, it's likely an akash div. You think given a bit of prep it shouldn't be too bad.
Etain knows that divs themselves aren't very powerful, but they weaken foes with debilitating magic to make it easier.
"Well don't do it here! I know a safe place."
Murqual’s directions lead to a rickety iron ladder in an alleyway that climbs the side of a long, low warehouse. The roof is canted at a slight enough angle that it might as well be flat. Several other rooftops are adjacent, at more or less equal height, forming an L-shaped superstructure....