In real life, Dar feels quite torn about what to do next. The Crag seems more certain in a weird way, but the scepter seems more personal.
One downside is if we go to the scepter, run into the Rakshasa, and lose, he could end up with three of the items.
Optimistically, we could finish the fiend off!
Dar looks to his party for their thoughts.
i say lets go to the scepter first....investigate the validity of this....and then continue on to crag....keep in mind that by spreading a rumour of selling the scepter we may be tricked into going there....with the orb....i wish there was a way to place the orb in a safe place before going ahead
Ok let’s fly to Cassomir and see if we can locate the scepter.
For time being replace 2 prayer spells with locate object.
Any other action before flying to Cassomir?
None for Dar. Ready for Cassomir.
Let's do it.
What am I forgetting? Let’s go.
The party makes its way to Cassomir over the course of half a day.
Cassomir is located at the mouth of the Sellen River, and is the second largest settlement in the empire of Taldor. It acts as a major trade city, and through its ports enter goods from the Inner Sea, as well as from nations to the north that utilize the Sellen as a trade route. Cassomir is also home to the greatest of Taldor's imperial shipyards, even though the majority of the fleet itself is stationed in Oppara.
The city itself is largely split into two distinct areas separated by the massive central harbor. The land south of the harbor is largely dominated by military forces and their supporting industries. Castle Grayguard stands on a bluff dominating the harbor entrance and imperial shipyards.
The Dog’s Teeth, a ragtag jumble of rocky islets just off the coast of Grayguard Castle, are inhabited by the largest assembly of vagabonds and adventurers in Cassomir. This area is loosely policed and most of the official illicit activity in the city takes place here.
At the north end of the harbor lies the old city, inhabited by the vast majority of Cassomir's actual citizens. Price here are steep, and non-natives are looked at with suspicion and disdain.
The eastern part of the harbor is solely the province of the city's docks with the northern section belonging to merchants and the southern to the imperial military. Beyond the city's eastern walls are a series of canals that prevent the original swamps and marshes from consuming the land reclaimed for the docks (although the dock area slowly sinks over time giving rise to a series of connected vaults, sewers, abandoned basements, and flooded tunnels known locally as Cassomir’s Locker).
Guess we should head to the Dog’s Teeth, find a tavern and see if we can hear some talk about the Sceptre.
weed looks about at the dogs teeth....i was raised in a place much like this after my parents were killed and i was kidnapped....i cant even remember what my name was....all i have is weed.....
Head to the Dog's Teeth. Listen for any scuttlebutt about the scepter.
He asks the party if they should be bold and ask the person manning the bar if they know anyone fencing goods (without sounding like a narc).
its a good idea Dar...but knowing these people...i think we should be discreet and spend a day or two getting to know the lay of the area....let us visit a few taverns....perhaps ascertain what the thieves guild is like here....maybe visit a market and shop or two....someone trying to sell the scepter would have tried to sell it to shops able to afford and sell the sceptre....let us visit those shops if we can find out where they are....
All: Describe your specific activities in the Dog's Teeth area and make any rolls you feel would help your efforts.
I have Dardanius' above; he's welcome to elaborate if he feels so inclined.
weed will purchase some very disheveled clothing....worn and stained...a tunic...and a cloak....and will visit a barber....and have his head shaved...and see if theres interesting conversation to be had. he doesnt need his hair drawing attention....
then he will visit a tavern or two....and keep an eye and ear open and also be aware if anyone is following
Barber
tavern 1
tavern 2
while at barbers....will start some casual conversation and see if anything can be gleaned about the goings on
—————-
Irisse will walk the area with Turran as protection looking for injured or wounded to heal, if she finds anyone she will make pleasant conversation while healing and see if she can gain any knowledge about any recent unusual goings on.
The party learns that a small flotilla of merchant ships (led by one massive ship that looks more like a warship than a merchant trader) representing the Aspis Consortium has recently entered the harbor. They appear to have been in contact with various agents in Cassomir and none of the ships have moored at a quay, but have remained anchored in the deep waters of the harbor.
Weed catches some rumors of a rare antiquities auction taking place in a few days in the part of the city where the wealthiest of merchants live. The entire city feels a little on edge, and many of merchants complain about increased military and police presence on the streets conducting inspections and being a general nuisance to commerce.
Irisse finds that they she and Turran are being watched/observed by at least two different groups. Nothing overly belligerent, but too many coincidences and people trailing you to be anything other than studied contemplation. Given Taldor's general approach to heavy-handed governance, the military forces in the city, and the tension on the streets, you don't find this very surprising but you do wonder who is in fact watching your movements.
The Apsis Consortium were the ones that offered the party 400,000 gold for the scepter.
Don’t think we are going to outbid them if this is the scepter.
So are we going to steal it back?
Where is it now?
Do we want to spy on the Consortium or whoever is following us?
We could air walk or fly out to the ships while invisible.
perhaps we can air walk insvisibly and kidnap someone on the ship and interroage them
The Apsis Consortium were the ones that offered the party 400,000 gold for the scepter.
Don’t think we are going to outbid them if this is the scepter.So are we going to steal it back?
Where is it now?
Do we want to spy on the Consortium or whoever is following us?
We could air walk or fly out to the ships while invisible.
You aren't sure if the Consortium is there to buy the scepter or maybe sell the scepter. You wonder what the orb is worth and what people might do to get it should they learn of its existence.
I would go with the steal it back option, if we can find out where it is.
If we can't find that information out, than I like the invisible fly out to the ships
Try and discern info about the location of the party that is selling the item
Concur with Turran, locate or to the ships to spy.
Don’t think we can kidnap and torture/interrogate people with a Paladin and a good Cleric.
make them our guest and question nicely instead?? ok fly out invisibly and try to gather information
Dardanius is happy to snoop around the flotilla. Not as happy to kidnap someone and torture them.
We could try to find officers from the flotilla at local bars/taverns and get them talking? We'd at least know what ship to start with?
But I'm not sure how much time we have to gather that information . . .
great idea Dar....
Weed is willing to go to Taverns he visited previously and see if he can get close to anyone from the flotilla
The party finds that none of the officers from the Consortium come ashore at any point, just the sailors, and even they seem pretty tight lipped and disciplined (for sailors). What information you gather points to a significant leader of the Consortium being aboard the massive warship; a rare occurrence for the group, whose leaders infrequently leave their secret strongholds. The rumors of an illicit antiquity auction appear to be more than that and the event is said to be taking place within the next three days.
“Tight lipped” and “disciplined” should not be used in conjunction with Sailors.
Can the rest of the party describe the Sceptre well enough for Irisse to use Locate Object?
Range: Area circle, centered on you, with a radius of 400 ft. + 40 ft./level
Have Turran cast invisibility sphere and take the magic carpet out to the Consortium ships. When within range use Locate Object.
Not sure if it is a roll for describing the scepter. But Dar will try to describe it to the best of his ability.
i do recall it being a finely crafted bone scepter that has an etched chain of flies spiraling down it and a good sized ruby on either end. The scepter radiates extremely powerful magics for necromancy and transmutation. I also recall it being cursed....
Irisse shudders at Weed’s detailed description of the scepter.
The party flies invisibly out towards the Consortium's small flotilla of ships and Irisse pushes her spell out towards them trying to sense for the dread scepter. As Irisse's magical probe reaches about 100' from the nearest ship she feels a significant resistance to her magical inquiry and she sees a small shimmer as if her spell had passed through a screen or barrier. Irisse feels the incredible power of the resisting magics and realizes that it is only through pure luck that her spell (and maybe she herself!) survived the encounter. Approaching the ships further with her spell, she finds no hint or resonance from the scepter anywhere onboard the vessels.
Does Irissë know what caused the resistance? A particular spell or something else?
Spellcraft roll or knowledge arcana
If we decide to get within 60 feet of the vessel, Dar will ~Detect Evil~
Dar will also study the closest vessel that rebuffed Irissë's spell.
Irisse's best guess is that there is some type of magical protection sphere surrounding the ships.
The ship Dardanius looks at appears normal to him and what he would expect of any seafaring vessel.
weed visually scans the ships closeby....does he detect anyone looking towards the party as if they can detect them
Weed doesn't espy anyone looking towards the party's location.
And, in-character, Dar would suppose that we are going to be outnumbered in that event. We could try getting invited to the auction, or at least casing that area until the scepter is brought out into the open (if it is even being sold there). But if everyone wants an action packed break in, we can try that too [echoes of the ice giants . . .]
-marginal handwave-
As part of her observing Irisse casts Detect Magic and discovers the field surrounding the ships is the most powerful magic she has ever seen, shot through with massive threads of abjuration, enchantment, and evocation.
We are outside the field?
Have we seen others coming or going from the ships?
-marginal handwave-
As part of her observing Irisse casts Detect Magic and discovers the field surrounding the ships is the most powerful magic she has ever seen, shot through with massive threads of abjuration, enchantment, and evocation.
Well, that does little to comfort me out of character.
Dar offers that the field may be created/caused by the scepter. Of course this means that there may be someone wielding the scepter, which would make it that much harder to steal.
On the other hand, if someone within the organization benefit from wielding such a powerful item, why on earth would the Consortium sell it?
The party is a hundred feet or so away from the protective field around the ships. No one has come or gone from the ships during your current observation, but you know that people are doing so as you have seen some of the sailors in the Dog's Teeth taverns and streets.
Dardanius remembers that Irisse's Locate Object spell did not find the Scepter on any of the ships or in the general area thereof. It is possible that someone might mask the item from detection or the scepter itself may prevent itself from being found, but you wonder why anyone would bother, given the fact that the ships have such a powerful magic field about them.
and they are peddling the scepter....so they arent trying to hide the fact they have it....
The party has no idea who is selling the Scepter.
What you do know:
There were rumors that the stolen Scepter would be auctioned off in Cassomir.
Word on the street in Cassomir indicates that the sale of the Scepter will take place somewhere in the wealthier part of town in the three few days.
A group of ships belonging to Consortium, and perhaps a high-ranking member, recently anchored in the harbor.
There is a powerful shield of magic protecting the Consortium's ships.
Dardanius remembers that Irisse's Locate Object spell did not find the Scepter on any of the ships or in the general area thereof. It is possible that someone might mask the item from detection or the scepter itself may prevent itself from being found, but you wonder why anyone would bother, given the fact that the ships have such a powerful magic field about them.
Yeah, that's what I was imagining: that the spell was masked by the powerful field. Hence Irissë almost dying.
Weed: yeah that's why I was taking this field as a possible confirmation of them having the scepter. But I'm still not sure what our next steps should be.
I don't think they have the sceptre.
Who does and where is it? Well, that's the 400,000 gp question.
Time to do some digging in the rich area of town
hit up some taverns, look for suspicious perps(besides us of course),
listen in on some conversations
yes...Turran...the consortium could just as likely be here to buy the sceptre....they did contact us and try to hire us to do their dirty work before....
agreed....back to the taverns....