GL's Shattered Star.

Game Master Grandlounge

A shattered Star playthrough.

An official-looking woman approaches the group with a bag of coin in hand.

"I believe you have earned this. My name is Captain Kasadei and I believe you have some questions about a girl. Natalya Vancaskerkin is a cut-rate burglar known to run with the Tower Girls. That Natalya has vanished is news to me."

sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 20

"Well now that that unpleasant business in dealt with is there anything else you need from me."

Dot.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

”Yes. We were wondering if you might know the where Natalya’s group typically operated. Perhaps we could learn something from them of her whereabouts.”

"I don't know where she is but the Tower Girls had a falling out with another Sczarni gang, the Wreckwash Blades. For several weeks after that, rumor was that the Tower Girls were slumming it in an abandoned warehouse in Underbridge that they shared with a disreputable local by the name of Fenster the Blight—he may know where the Tower Girls"

Dot, need to buy equipment but then I'm good. I sent Grandlounge a pm

A Varisian woman stand up from behind her desk and kind of chuckles "Natalya Vancaskerkin, that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I know where the tower girls are hiding in, found said warehouse while investigating a double 140. Decided it'd be best to stay away as I'm not sure where I stand with the girls. I can take them there chief, with your permission of course captain."

The woman pauses and thinks before saying, "Yes some extra guard presence will be good. It may tamp down some of these rumors. Dismissed."

"Ok, let's go then. "

Von-Dai nods. "Very well. Let us investigate the warehouse. Lead the way, officer."

Elendar sniffs, watching the officer warily, but having another blade along was always welcome. "As He wills," he says, drawing a line across his face with the side of his hand.

"Let's continue on. Though maybe we could rest here for a few hours."

The captain lets you rest in an unused but clean barrack room.

"To be honest you all look like crap. Been a rough day has it? Rest here then continue on with your investigation during the light of day. We have good relations with the pathfinders."

In the morning you prepare yourself and eat.

You are led by Darjiah of the city guard to Magnimar’s most notorious slum, Underbridge. There you find a partially collapsed warehouse. Here, you find a crude shelter from rowboats (one or two of which might still be almost seaworthy) and timbers leaning against the warehouse’s frame. The entrance to this hovel consists of a pair of skiffs leaning against each other to create a triangular “arch” from which a moldering remnant of a ship’s sail hangs like a curtain. Sitting next to the entrance is an old sea chest with a broken lid. A sign leans against the front of the chest—“LEEV A GIFT AND WATE OUTSID.” A dented tin platter sits on the ground before the sign.

In the morning Darjiah is up with the sun and eats breakfast with her guard mates, then when she finishes she approaches the group "I have some... personal experience with the tower girls so I can handle the talking, though I'm not sure they remember me fondly or not."
When they reach warehouse Darjiah says loudly "Fenster I know you don't know me, but I'm a member of the tower girls. Go and tell the leader that Darjiah Emliak is here to see her"

Von-Dai glances at his companions as Darjiah says she's a member of the Tower Girls. A bold bluff. It will be interesting to see if the lie is believed.

Regardless of whether or not its true, Von-Dai is choosing to believe in this instance that Darjiah is lying.

He itches to correct the poorly written and misspelled sign. It was almost intentionally offensive in its errors.

Give me the appropriate check, please. Bluff for a lie and Diplomacy if this is part of your backstory (I'm fine if it is part of the backstory).

From inside the shack, you hear a grunt. It is the sound that mouldy driftwood would make if it were trying to solve a math problem.

"Hrmmm...T'ink...T'ink...T'ink."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Elendar follows Darjiah warily. "You seem to be quite familiar with this city, officer. Ah, forgive me, but how should we address you? I would not want to give offense."

As they approach the slums, he pulls out a scroll and casts a spell on himself. "For protection," he explains, a bit self-consciously. Then he speaks an arcane word and bites into a small object taken from his pouch, and a burst of bluish light indicates he has cast another spell on himself. (He cast mage armor and heightened awareness.)

Has Elendar heard of this place? He would guess-- based on the fact that we're under a bridge-- that Fenster is a troll. Anything else he might know?

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

"When we're around my coworkers or talking to civilians I would prefer if you called me investigator Emliak, but you can call me Darjiah in a situation like this. I was raised on the streets and ran with the girls for a while, but there came a point where I couldn't continue on my current path so I went to school and now I work for the guard as a CSI."
Spellcraft to recognize heightened awareness: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Elendar bows slightly to indicate that he understands. "I'm surprised you didn't join up with the Pathfinder Society," he says, watching her reaction. "Those same investigative skills that the guard pays you to do are likely to be much more handsomely rewarded in their service."

(Edited to remove reference to her half-elven features.)

@Elendar

You know this is the poorest and most lawless area of the city. The city guard does what it can but stays focused on major crimes. Because of the complete lack of civil institutions land is taken and often controlled by slumlords.

You also know the Fenster is a wretch of a human being. He controls some of the most worthless areas of the city but he is dangerous and unpredictable so he affords some protection. Being feared is what he desires most.

"I can make your recruitment official at the lodge should you choose to join. We also have an associate status as sort of a transitional position. In either case, you would not have to give up your current job. The pay would be better as Elendar says."

"I hope this is not rude. What did the other girls think of you leaving?"

"I don't know, I never asked. I mean haven't sent someone to kill me in The night so... As for the society I never considered it as I needed more of a sense of family, which the guard provides."
GM in case you missed my post I got a 19+4=23
Elendar that's a mistake on my part, she is human.

I didn't miss it. I'm letting the pc rp playout before Fenster comes out as to not have too many threads going at the same time.

Von-Dai has a hard time conceiving of how one can go from being a member of a street gang to being a member of the Watch. Not a profession switch one usually saw. Still, he had no reason to doubt her. He just found it odd.

"In my short time in the Society, I have found that it allows pursuit into fascinating subjects. Your skills would be most useful."

Turning his attention to the door, he said more quietly, "Hopefully this Fenster will not be too problematic."

"Wha'cha know, x-tower girl? If you know them wha'cha need ol' Fenster fo'?"

An ugly man comes out of his hovel smelling of piss and drink.

"Can't even read and ya' want this Devils help do ya'"

He points at the sign.

"I think the problem is that we can read. " Marcus mutters wryly.

[ooc]GM I may be misenterpreting the situation, do I know a way in that doesn't take me past fenster? Is there an entrance that he's allowing me to go through? A little sleep deprived at the moment so my comprehension skills might be lacking today. [Ooc]

He guards the main entrance. There is likely ways to get pasted him but you called out his name. You can't be sure of past entrances because when the girls take a base they secure it against unwanted entry and this base is a relatively new base. For some reason he did not go get the tower girls, instead he came to talk to you.

You can either sense motive to see why he did not follow your request or you can back away and try sneaking around.

Does that help?

"Yes I sees you stup'd and can't read. Do you have payment. It's dangerous to not pay bills in the slums."

Von-Dai is nonplussed. This...this...drunk who couldn't even spell a simple word like "leave", was calling them stupid? And he dared to ask for payment on top of it!? This insult could not be left unanswered.

"Oh, the sign requests payment? Is that what it says? Terribly sorry, but I just couldn't read it since it doesn't make any sense. For instance, the first word, L-E-E-V. What word is that supposed to be? Is it 'leave'? If so, you've spelled it wrong, since it is spelled L-E-A-V-E. And that word W-A-T-E, is that supposed to be 'wait'? If so, that is spelled W-A-I-T. Also, there's supposed to be an 'E' at the end of 'outside'. Now, I have given you the gift of a better education and how to actually spell the words in your sign. Is that sufficient to allow us to pass, you ooze-brained drunken miscreant?"

Von-Dai's explosion was perhaps the least diplomatic thing to do at the time, but he could not believe they were being insulted in this way. It was outrageous!

Welp, either we get the door slammed in our face, or we start a fight. Either way, the story progresses!

Erond stands awe struck by this exchange.

If no one tries to anything else by this evening we will see how Fenster responds.

With a quick sideways look at Von-Dai, Elendar takes a step back and removes his hands from the inside of his sleeves-- ready for a fight, if that's what is coming.

Erond
Elendar
Darjiah
Marcus
Von-Dai
Fenster

Fenster seems to be getting angry. He seems ready to explode but has not made any violent actions yet. I'm working under the assumption that weapons are not drawn (due to being in a city and negotiating).

Erond delays.

Elendar delays. :)

Von-Dai holds his quarterstaff, ready to send it flying towards Fenster if he attacks so he can claim self-defense.

Readied action, Hand of the Apprentice: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Darjiah looks around and pulls out 5 gold "I apologise for our rude behavior Mr the blight, I hope this is enough to mend any hurt feelings, and we can see about that gift."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

You see that Fenster's eye fall on the money.

The more you offer the higher the circumstantial bonus will be to the diplomacy check and the fewer rounds it will take for the diplomacy check (usually one min) each round you can say more and increase the bribe to try to calm him down will help diffuse the situation.

I'm putting Marcus on delay.

Fenster hesitates for a second, seeming to change is tactics. Then runs a wide circle and grabs at Von-Dai.

Grapple: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Von-Dai is grabbed by the filthy man. One arm around his neck and the other holding one arm behind his back. The smell is so strong Vo-Dai can feel it coating his tongue.

Von-Dai Fortitude Save, please.

Yes, He'll delay seeing if her diplomacy would work. Evidently it didn't.

He will pull out his whip and intimidate the guy.

intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"I'd let him go. It would be less painful. "

or maybe he won't intimidate him after all

"Hey calm down we are trying to be cool here. We know your the strong one and you control this area."

Aid Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Marcus and anyone else roll me a sense movtive.

sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 1 totally oblivious

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

”Oh, no. You are so strong. Please, don’t hurt us.” Elendar tries to sound convincingly impressed by Fester’s display.

Diplomacy aid other: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
She growls and says "listen asshat put him down and take the gold or you're gonna spend some time in a cell"[b] and she pulls out her badge [b]"we don't have any problem with the tower girls, we instead want to help them find one of their missing members. But given how you seem to be a male, and you are holding one of my friends I have no problem putting you behind bars"
ignore the second roll,I copied it all in case I it went wrong (it did) and it pasted that in there as well

"I see you all are smart'r than your friend. You know how the streets work. But you know the city guard does not have time for me. I would be out in a week."

Maintain the grapple: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

With that he moves away from the group only slightly. 5ft

"What'cha' all want to know? I'm the tower girls landlord. Though they ain't been around much they'll be back. But if you want to know about that girl that's gone and left the tower girls that will be 100gp or something nice. And you can put it in the tray under the sign there."

You are out of combat round for now but he will keep holding on to Von-Dai until the payment is made. Von Dai can sand still and wait or he can try and break free.

Sorry, the weekend got away from me.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Going to see what the result of that check is before I do anything.