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The letter from Eliza Petulengro was terse--meet at this address in Absalom's Ivy District, at this time. Tell no one. Come prepared for a journey.
You arrive to see a stately manor, abandoned despite the tony surroundings. The place looks like something out of a gothic woodcutting--shuttered windows, overgrown lawn, and a general air of menace to the place. In back of the manor you can see a high, wildly overgrown hedgerow.
There are several others here--likely your companions on whatever Venture-Captain Petulengro has in store.
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Taarik is a massive Solar Ifrit. His hair is blazing and burning so that he almost warms his surroundings.
He has a greatsword and a bardiche on his back, a longsword at his side and a heavy shield in his hand.
He wears a fullplate that looks like it has been recently oiled.
Resting on top of his chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Irori is visible.
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Dark is of average height and weight for a human. His hair is a raven black that falls to his shoulders and his eyes are hazel. He is wearing a fancy lamellar leather armor and has a booked holstered to his belt.
He also possesses a strange long sword with the blade so black it seems to absorb light.
He occasionally chuckles and looks down at his sword, a few times he seems to tell his sword to 'hush'.
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The Tian-Min man is garbed in red robes are of a style seldom seen in Avistan, though those more cosmopolitan would recognise them as a kimono of the Minkai. Under the robes hanging from his neck is an elegantly carved symbol of a glowing sun, overlaid by a katana. His neat swept-back hair is the usual Tian raven black, but interestingly his eyes carryy a faint reddish-orange hue.
Before speaking, he gives each person present a perfect 45 degree bow. When he rises, he introduces himself in a careful, measured tone. "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Hayashi Hikari, humble servant of Shizuru, Empress of Heaven, Guardians of Ancestors, Goddess of the Sun and Divine Ancestor of Minkai, the Empire of the Dawn. Hayashi is my family name, so please address me as Hikari, in the manner of the west. I am here in Avistan as an emissary of my liege lord, Daimyo of the Clan Yamamoto."
He gives another bow, before continuing. "I am most thankful to be selected for this mission. This humble one hopes that my meager contributions would be of assistance." All these are delivered in proper manner with little hint of emotions.
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Artoria is a blonde woman wearing a breastplate inscribed with sylvan runes over a blue and gold dress. Her sword is made of a strange metal the likes of which the gathered Pathfinders have likely never seen and has a gold and blue crossguard and handle. She sets her sword in front of her, both hands on the pommel as if standing vigil. The shield on her back has three gold crowns in a line down the middle on a blue field.
”I am Artoria Pendragon. I am a knight from a faraway land. I am honored to make your acquaintance.”
An owl lands on her shoulder. The owl’s face looks particularly intense, as if permanently in an intensely annoyed and disgusted expression. His wings almost look they are akimbo.
Artoria nods towards the owl. ”This is Archimedes. The wizard Merlin who instructs me has sent his familiar to watch over me.”
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After you've gathered and introduced yourselves, an Ulfen woman approaches, quickly displaying a wayfinder.
"Pathfinders, thank you for coming. I represent Venture-Captain Petulengro in this affair. You have my apologies, but this mission will require total secrecy. I will need to blindfold you for this next part. Do you consent?"
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"Very well."
The woman blindfolds each of you and leads you forward, likely in the direction of the hedges behind the manor house.
While you can' see where youare, there are cobblestones beneath your feet, and the smell of greenery around them. Suddenly, the smell of fresh roses in bloom grows quite powerful.
The woman halts the group, then speaks in a language none of you understand before continuing. The air temperature drops very suddenly.
It's difficult to tell how much time passes, with no sounds but footsteps and breathing, and the shifting of armor. After some time, the guide calls for you all to stop.
An unfamiliar woman’s voice intones, “You may now remove your blindfolds.” The blinding light of day reveals lush garden. A tall woman wearing a white porcelain mask face and a crimson ribbon around her neck stands nearby.
“I apologize, but my employer, Venture-Captain Petulengro, requests you immediately join her in the sculpture hall of the Palace of the Glorious Revolution, a local museum. It is only a short walk from here, and she will be able to answer all of your questions when you arrive. Please hide your wayfinders and any other signs of your affiliation with the Society. Once you enter the building, the sculpture hall will be down the hallway to the left. You can’t miss it.
Oh, and she’s in disguise today. She has long black hair and is wearing a green dress.”
Without waiting for a reply, the masked woman points toward a ruined palace a short distance away.
She refuses to speak any further, merely pointing again towards the museum.
The building was once quite opulent, but has been badly damaged over the years. The windows are covered in plywood, and scorch marks blacken the entire outside of the building. From within, you can here laughter and jeers, and loud applause. Stepping inside, you can see that the central part of the building has been converted into a theater space, and a collection of common folk are watching a bawdy play.
Following the mysterious woman's directions, you arrive in what must be the sculpture hall. A raven-haired woman in a simple green dress
emerges from behind a large sculpture of marching peasants. Her mouth moves, and the whispers float across the room, landing precisely at her targets.
“Greetings, citizens, won’t you join me?”
She presses on a latch, revealing a hidden door behind the statue and gestures into the secret room.
After all have entered, the woman quietly closes the door behind you.
The woman’s feature’s shift rapidly. Her hair turns a vibrant red, and she draws a wayfinder out of a concealed pouch. “Welcome, Pathfinders. I am Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro. First of all, let me apologize for the clandestine way you were brought here today, but I promise you, it was necessary. Two days ago, I received word from the Almas Pathfinder Lodge. They informed me that two Senators from Andoran’s People’s Council, Victoria Garvensi and Augustyn Naryan, were abducted from their homes in Andoran nine days ago. Their investigations turned up a group of suspicious masked
mercenaries, but by the time they tracked down the group’s location, they learned that it had already departed for Galt aboard the riverboat Drifting Current along with three other prisoners. The Almas Lodge requested that I pick up the investigation from there.
“I was able to prove through divinations that the Senators were indeed two of the prisoners aboard the Drifting Current, but both of them were warded against most of my magical abilities, including scrying. I asked a contact at the docks to inform me as soon as the Drifting Current landed in Woodsedge. Strangely, she sent me a message yesterday to tell me that the ship had been in port for a day or so already.
“I followed up with another one of my local contacts, who discovered that the Galt’s feared executioners, the Gray Gardeners, were escorting the senators. Once I heard that the Gardeners were involved, I was forced to back off my investigation and call on the Grand Lodge in Absalom for assistance. Any move that known Pathfinder agents make against the Gray Gardeners could lead to severely negative consequences for us here in Galt. On top of that, if the Gray Gardeners are indeed involved in abducting Andoran’s senators, this could be the start of an international incident.
“My investigation also led me to another oddity. A barrister here in Woodsedge by the name of Alois Lofton once served as an undercover venture-captain. I reached out to him via secret channels when I began the work of establishing the Woodsedge Lodge, and he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me or with the Pathfinder Society as a whole. When I learned about this case, however, I went to him in person to request his aid. His responses were extremely odd. I got the sense that he knew more about the case but was unwilling to share it. Troublingly, he seemed to be ignorant of rudimentary information about the Pathfinder Society, or even his past status as a venture-captain. When I tried to figure out more, he threatened to take me to court for harassing an officer of the law.
“This situation calls for caution and discretion, and I can’t be seen investigating this matter further. I ask that you pick up the investigation in my stead, keeping your status as Pathfinder agents a closely guarded secret. I’ll summarize the leads I have. Please commit them to memory.” The venture-captain raises a finger with each name. “My contact at the docks, Larisa Stronwell, did not report to me in a timely manner about the arrival of the Drifting Current. My contact with connections to the Gray Gardeners, Almont Enderios, informed me that the Gardner’s were involved in this case, and said that he’d look into the matter further. Former Venture-Captain Lofton knows more about this case and not nearly enough about his own past, but you’ll probably need to dig up proof of his involvement if you want him to talk to you. Finally, I’d also recommend talking to Guard Sergeant Ottavia Respani.
“Any information you can find will be of use. In particular, I’d like to you look for clues about who is involved, what Lofton knows, and where the Gray Gardeners have taken the prisoners. If you happen to find information about any of the three unidentified prisoners along the way, please report that as well. When you are finished with your investigation, please tie a simple message to this raven and send it to the Lodge. I will return to the sculpture
garden to meet you.” The venture-captain hands over a small silver statuette of a raven.
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You may have some knowledge about these areas.
On the Grey Gardeners
The Gray Gardeners are the executioners of the Galtan government. They operate the final blades, magical guillotines that capture a person’s soul at the moment of death. The Galtan Revolution, known as the “Red Revolution” has been ongoing for the last 50 years.
On the senators
behind Lady Gloriana Morilla’s Army of Exploration during the Society’s fight against the demons of the Worldwound.
Victoria Garvensi is a member of the Andoran People’s Council representing part of the city of Augustana. The Garvensi family was a formerly noble family that gave up much of its wealth and property during the People’s Revolt in 4669 AR when Andoran gained its independence from Cheliax and become a democratic.
Senators Garvensi and Naran recently sponsored the Banking Reform and Regulation Act, a proposed Andoren law that, should it be enacted, would give banks and other lenders significant new authority to collect on money owed to them, including sending those in default to debtor’s prison
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The venture-captain sighs.
"As much as you can trust any in his line of work. Enderios is a bounty hunter with good contacts among the Gray Gardeners. He also has experience moving people around the country, shall we say, against their wills. He may seem a bit fishy, but he’s proved to be reliable.”
"I am not sure what the Andorans are doing. I would expect they are performing an investigation of some sort. We have fewer connections with the Andoran government since Major Colson Maldris founded the Liberties Edge faction, and took a lessor role in the affairs of his home nation."
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"Ah. Lofton technically still has the title of venture-captain, but he hasn’t been in contact with anyone in the Society for a long time. I don’t know how much you know about our local history, but after a mob burned and looted the Woodsedge Lodge in 4704 AR, the Decemvirate sent
three venture-captains into Galt undercover to retrieve lost items; Lofton was one of those three. He reported back to the Grand Lodge for a number of years but then went silent in 4708 AR. When I was assigned to reopen the lodge the following year, I reached out to Lofton, but I received nothing but rude and dismissive replies. As I mentioned before, my most recent communication with him was particularly concerning.”
She shrugs.
"I don't know much about what he did before he came here. He's a barrister--he was said to be quite a good one, as well."
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Artoria scowls deeper and deeper as she learns more-and-more.
"It sounds as though this is a case of the unjust versus the unjust. Extralegal abduction and execution versus people who think it right to legally enslave the poor. I detest such situations, but I will do my best to ensure at least some justice comes out of this."
She stops to think over the information given so far. "This Lofton may have been replaced by an enemy agent, if he suddenly does not seem to remember his status in the Society. Or perhaps he was subjected to some kind of memory-altering magic."
Archimedes squawks. "I see you have finally been paying attention to your lessons, Artoria. It only took you...how many years?"
Artoria glares at her familiar. "Your commentary is unnecessary."
Archimedes raises his head. "Your insolence is unnecessary."
They continue arguing for some time, or until someone steps in.
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Listening to the information revealed and chimes in, "I believe some kind of memory-altering magic is more likely with Lofton."
"You may be right. Certainly something is odd about the man's behavior.
"Do you have any more questions? If not, I have some things that may help you in your investigation. If you perform well, you can consider these a part of your compensation for a job well done."
The venture-captain hands you two potions of invisibility, an elixir of truth, 3 doses of oil of taggit, a hat of disguise, and a silent metamagic rod.
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Hikari simply listens quietly, outwardly a demeanour of calm. Inside though, although he often finds the politics of the Inner Seas peculiar, when he drills deep, it is no different from the courts of Minkai. He sighs internally, while maintaining his outward composure.
"This one does not have further questions. Two leaders of the land have been unlawfully kidnapped and they will be returned." He bows.
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"Very well. Use the raven to message me when you have completed your investigation. Good luck, Pathfinders."
It is around 10 in the morning. You may follow up the leads in any order you like. You are free to split up, or stay together. If you'd like to purchase gear here, you can, although it will take a considerable amount of time to find anything in Woodsedge's winding, maze-like streets.
Where would you like to start?
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You find Lofton's office above a butcher shop. A dingy, faded sign outside points up an exterior stair and reads 'ALOIS LOFTON, COUNSELOR-AT-LAW'.
The door at the top of the stairs is unlocked, and you step into a small, rather shabby office. The room is dense with bookshelves, with legal books and files scattered throughout.
Behind a fine mahogany desk that has seen better days you see a white-haired Taldan, busily shuffling papers around on his desk. He's wearing a fine but threadbare black suit.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm far too busy to take cases at the present time. If you are still in need, come back in a few days."
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"We are not here for representation." Hannah answers, "You sure seem to be missing a lot of books. Are going out of business or trying to skip town"
Once he answers, she asks another question, "Anyway, we are actually following up on a strange letter you sent out employer. She said you have been acting odd. If something is going on, we may be able to help"
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Lofton wails and cowers when one of you begins to cast a spell, but stands again when he realizes he wasn't harmed.
You detect no magical auras in the area.
Straightening his suit, Lofton gathers all of his dignity before speaking.
"You are very rude, to come into my office and accuse me of lying, of being a doppelganger, of being a party to some sort of nefarious behavior. And, apparently, with no evidence of these claims. I am a respected man. I won't be spoken to like this. If you will not leave, I'll summon the guard--as you are foreigners, let me assure you that you will not like Galtan justice."
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"Well, we know you are hiding something. Not sure what?" She then turns to leave, "Lucky for you, we are not too worried about what is going on with you, we were just checking in for a friend." Hannah heads out of the building.
Guards, good idea. Wasn't the guard sergeant a contact of the VC anyway."
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It's 11:30 in the morning when you arrive. Guard-Sergeant Ottavia Respani can be found manning a guard-post, wearing the checkered green-and-gray uniform of the cities guard. She is a serious-looking woman with close-cropped curly brown hair.
As you approach, she nods politely.
"Good morning, citizens. How can I be of service?"
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Hikari raises an one eyebrow tinge when he realised the guard-sergeant is a woman, but otherwise, does not react further. Instead, he gives her a very respectful bow. "We are humble servants of Lady Eliza Petulengro. She has suggested that we might approach you to discuss a matter of great import, a matter for which your esteemed self is most rightly placed to assist."
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She raises an eyebrow and appears quite alarmed for a moment.
"Ahem. I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you with anything like that.
"My apologies; I've been on duty since before dawn, and its been a very trying day. I can't wait until my shift is over at noon, so I can get a drink at the Drunken Morlock."
She gives you a look and a slight nod of the head.
"Good day, citizen."
You get the feeling that you may be able to get away with it once, but that it would be a very bad idea to mention Eliza or the Pathfinder Society in general again.
Also, she clearly hopes that you will meet her at the Drunken Morlock to discuss this matter further.
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”We apologize for bothering you.” Artoria motions for the others to follow her, then explains her read on the situation when the group is alone.
”Ottavia was hinting for us to meet her at the Drunken Morlock. Sorry, Reesa. We should be discrete. Also, and I do not mean to sound reproachful as that is not my intent, but we should not use Eliza’s name so lightly in the future, Hikari. The Pathfinder Society is forced to operate discretely in Galt for a reason, and if something goes wrong, we cannot have anything blowing back on her. I share your instinct towards forthrightness, but I am afraid it will not serve us here.”
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You do have some time to kill, so you head over to the docks.
You find Stronwell in a shipping office on the docks. Stronwell is a short, slender woman with brown hair and freckles, and her office dusty but well organized. The office is loud as clerks move back and forth, consulting tomes and filling out slips will impatient captains wait.
After being directed to her you spot Stronwell sitting at a desk, working stolidly through a stack of paperwork.
"Yes?" she asks brusquely, not looking up from her work.