It is the third day of Pharast (March) when our characters receive a summons from Sheila Heidmarch at Heidmarch Manor in the Alabaster district.
It has been several days for each of you since you last visited the lodge. You were certainly excited on your first visit at having become a part of something as large and exciting as the Pathfinder Society. Several of you actually thought that because you had been accepted into the Pathfinder Society that Heidmarch House was where you were going to live.
Mistress Heidmarch disabused you of any such notions pretty quickly on your first visit.
”I'm not sure how we're going to be able to make use of you here. I had hoped for someone with some experience to be assigned here.”
”For now, I'll need you to get out from underfoot and let me get back to organizing the lodge. When I need you, I'll contact you in the city.”
With that, you were shown out the door and left wondering about your career choices.
After a few days of nervous waiting, messages arrived for you this morning, summoning you to Heidmarch House at noon for a potential assignment.
Mikkitar arrives very early for the meeting, well before full light rises. Traveling through the sewers and canals and basements of the city, the ratfolk emerges into an alley some distance from the chapter house itself. Moving quickly and as quietly as he can in the shadows, he makes his way to the corner where Heidmarch House stands, then sets up as if begging for copper.
He fits the part, mostly, smelling of refuse and must. Closer inspection, however, reveals the heavy reinforced leather duster is in quite good repair, despite acid burns and scorch marks up and down its length. What might be mistaken for a bundle of rags and blankets is a well-organized pack and wooden case, which rattles every so slightly as Mikkitar moves it.
Mikkitar himself is covered head to toe, with a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his brow and lammelar-reinforced gauntlets pulled up to his elbows. Sitting there with a battered tin cup in front of him, he remains as quiet and unobtrusive as he can, waiting for the appointed time of his meeting.
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A dwarf by the name of Nocki helps his family's business in the Grand Arch district. They are well established despite having one of the humblest shops in the city Summit region.
While grabbing the wares his father asked, Nocki grumbles to a koala next to him. "I should have been called by now, Bear... I didn't become a Pathfinder to grab boxes and wares in the back of a store." He glances at the Bear, the koala, who is munching on some delicious eucalyptus leaves, and says as though he has been talked to "Yes, you're right. I should be thankful they let me stay here."
As he hears his name being called, he goes eagerly, although trying not to look like it. "Yes?", he says, before finding out he had been summoned to the lodge. He thanks the messenger and goes back to change. After dutifully, yet quickly, finishing his chores, he armors up and puts the last things he needs in his backpack and sets out to the neighboring Naos district and enters the lodge.
He enters the lodge with a lit pipe in his mouth and puffs some smoke which carries a sweet yet heavy smell. His mind was racing with thoughts of adventures and finding incredible artifacts. However, he entered with a stern brow displaying discipline and readiness. He imagines himself on the top of a pile of ogre bodies triumphantly raising his hammer with a large grey bear at his side.
Upon entering, Nocki wears chainmail armor and has an unremarkable shield strapped to his arm. His armor is mostly covered by a simple shirt and a koala is hanging from it looking around curiously. To his side there is a warhammer and to his back, a light crossbow is strapped. He removes the pipe from his mouth in order to speak and says "Nocki Hasuf, reporting for duty."
Jera has been staying in an inn near to Heidmarch Manor. He spent the few days prior to receiving the letter taking in the sights of the city and getting the lay of this strange, new land. Mostly, he was just trying put his thoughts away from the Pathfinder Society and the relative dismissiveness Venture-Captain Heidmarch had treated him with in their first meeting. When he receives the letter, Jera's mind cannot help but race with possibilities as to what his first assignment could be, to the point where he is practically bouncing with anticipation when he arrives.
Jera is a young Garundi man, and is equipped strangely even for a group so diverse as the Pathfinder Society. He wears a wide variety of trinkets, relics, and symbols on his person, including a pantheon's worth of icons of various deities. Under his mess of symbols and a long coat with a wide collar, he wears well-maintained studded leather armor. On his right side is a bow and quiver, while a cane is strapped to his left.
After being sent away Sandu looked more a vagabond then he had at any point before in his life. The young man sat on his battered chest his chin in his hands. His mid-length brown hair a mess atop his youthful face, the broken butterfly hanging from it's chain.
'I can't go back to uncle now, if I do I won't be able to break away again.'
As he lowers his eyes again someone tosses a near petrified end of bread at his feet, and he had an idea.
The messenger finds Sandu where he is most afternoons at a corner table at a coffee house in the Lowcleft doing readings for the patrons. That and hours kneading the bread dough where enough to earn him a place to lay his cot. He had helped the owners wife when she broke her arm a season ago.
The man who walks up the stairs is very much the confident adventurer, he is dressed more like a fortune teller, and he only carries a battered quarterstaff. But he carries himself with confidence and purpose. The broken butterfly seems to be flapping it's wings as he moves into the manor.
"I am Sandu, a cleric of Lady Luck. I'll do my best to shepherd my fellow pathfinders.
I never thought I'd be back here..., was Olander's first thought upon arriving at the Heidmarch manner in Magnimar. Upon being dismissed suddenly, he was even more disabused of the notion that society leadership knew what it was doing when they brought him back here.
Althought not happy to back in Magnimar, it was good to recieve a summons with a mission. He didn't bother looking up his old contacts, they'd been no help when he was cast out from the Kaddrens, and wouldn't be any help now. At least now he had somewhere to go.
The obvious tiefling with crimson red skin and horns enters. He carrys a rapier at his side, has a bucklet strapped to one arm and carries various sundries.
Greetings, the name is Olander. Pleased to meet you all.
Seeing other adventurer types head into the house, Mikkitar collects his belongings and slings his heavy pack over his shoulders. He pushes the door open and moves into the foyer, instinctively keeping to the walls and trying to remain inconspicuous.
"It is time for the meeting, yes-yes? You are here-here for Mistress Heidmar too?"
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Although he lived long enough to know there are good people of every kind, Nocki couldn't help but wince at the sight of Mikkitar, following the custom of a middle class merchant family. Trying to hide his reaction, he says "Why, yes, I am. These fine folk seem to be here for the same reason. Have you heard anything about why?", hoping to be sent on an exciting mission.
Mikkitar arrives early, almost too early. After waiting for a while he notices the same set of city guards passing him by and looking him over.
On the third trip past, they stop their patrol and step up to him.
"Hear now, we don't put up with any loitering by your kind in the Alabaster district. You need to be moving along back to where you belong!"
As the Ratfolk starts to stammer a reply, the door to the Lodge opens.
A tall, broad-shouldered human with grayish skin steps out from the Lodge and looks about (and then down) to take in the town guards and the ratfolk.
"Thank you very much gentlemen but everything is in order. Master Mikkitar is expected."
The guard looks disapointed at not being about to continue harrassing the little ratfolk, but relents.
"Very well. It's your house and your guests, but make sure you aren;t disturbing the neighbors with the company you are associating with."
With that, the guards leave and human gestures for Mikkitar to enter.
"This way please Master Mikkitar. You re a bit early, but I can show you to the parlour. My name is Roger. If you have any needs while wait for the others, I'll be happy to help if I can."
As the others arrive, they are also shown into the Lodge to wait in the parlour.
The tall man named Roger greets each by name at the door.
"What an interesting ..... bear?" Roger says politely as he shows Nocki in.
He shows him in to the parlour where Mikkitar is fidgeting in an overstuffed chair meant for a taller person.
Jera arrives next. Before he even knocks, the door opens in front of him.
Roger greets him "Master Alsabor, I presume. You are just as Mistress Heidmarch described. Let me show you in."
Sandu arrives just a few minutes early, but is clearly expected. The gray-skined man greets him "Luck of the Lady upon you. We have been expecting you. Let me show you in to meet the others."
As Olander finds his way to the Pathfinder Lodge he feels some since of loss walking the streets where he was raised. He notices a pair of guards that he feel like are trailing him as he approaches the Lodge. They break off and head in a different direction when he arrives at the Lodge.
Roger opens the door and shows him in to wait with the others.
Jera nods and smiles politely to Roger as he shows Jera in.
"You presume correctly."
Jera introduces himself to the others as he enters the room.
"I am indeed here for the meeting as well! Jera Alsabor, at your service. I don't know any specifics of why we've been summoned, but I imagine it has something to do with ancient Thassilon. Ancient civilizations are my speciality, and Thassilon is why I requested a post in Varisia." He is clearly very eager to learn more of the mission.
Once Sandu arrives, Jera seems very curious about his goddess, asking him several questions about his faith if allowed.
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Nocki bows to Jera as her (?) introduction.
Later, as Roger talks to him about Bear, he replies proudly "Yes, it's very exotic. It takes longer to grow, but when it does, it's going to be my loyal defender as I travel uncovering ancient secrets of the world." He didn't mention the fact that Bear doesn't eat meat, however.
"So, this is our headquarters! It's very lush, maybe a little too much.", the dwarf says. He wants to ask whether they should get comfortable, but doesn't know the proper Pathfinder etiquette.
Sandu is happy to talk about his goddess, and other than knowing a dozen names for her it would become clear to an educated man like Jera that the youth knows very little about his faith, but it seems unlikely that the Pathfinders would have brought in a charlatan.
"Yes-yes, very nice big-big house. I think we wont be here-here for long, though. Skills much-much more needed hunting down treasures and old-old secrets."
Mikkitar remains in the stuffed chair, happy to be warm and comfortable.
Olander addresses Rogar, "Is this everyone? Do you know when Heidmarch will be here? Is it possible to get something to drink?"
The grey-skinned butler returns to answer Olander's questions:
"I will bring you a decanter of water and some glasses for your thirst."
"Mistress Heidmarch is currently with another guest. She apologizes for the delay but will be with you shortly."
"I understand there is some connection between her current guest and the task you were summoned for here today. So, I'm afraid the delay is unavoidable."
He leaves for a moment and returns momentarily with a tray of water glasses and a simple glass decanter full of water.
"Do you have any other requirements at present?"
" Thank you so much for the water, I do not." Olander replies gratefully.
Sandu sits and waits, after a short time, that seems a long time to the Cleric he pulls out a old Harrow deck and begins shuffling through it. he closes his eyes and cuts looking at the card.
Looking at the card Sandu actually lets out a laugh, he places the deck back together so the cut to card is not at the bottom of the deck before returning the deck to it's pouch.
Jera graciously accepts the water.
He watches Sandu perform the Harrow ceremony with some interest.
"That's some kind of fortune-telling deck, right? Can I ask the significance of those cards?"
"That is a very layered question, Jera? is that right? In general yes The Harrow is some kind of Fortune-Telling deck, and it's significance to any given Varisian can vary from a source of income to the cornerstone of philosophy. This specific deck was a gift from my grandmother, and it guides me down The Great Dreamers path"
He takes a look at Jera, as if for the first time, and then begins to look over the rest of the gathered ?Pathfinders?
Sheila Heidmarch enters the room a greets the assembled group in an unusually deep voice and with a no-nonsense attitude.
”Good morning, I am glad you could all join us today.”
”Let me introduce Koriah Azmeren. She is a pathfinder with a great deal of experience that has come to visit and deliver a few puzzles to me.”
Koriah is an attractive halfelven woman dressed in leather armor and armed with
a distinctive-looking mithral-and-redwood aklys (a hooked club attached to a cord) and a bastard sword (both weapons are currently sheathed or hanging from her belt).
Azmeren is one of Varisia’s most famous Pathfinders and a well-renowned expert on the Darklands.
”Koriah has just returned from scouting a newly found route to the darklands and she has brought back a number of Thassilonian artifacts.”
”I really need to discuss these findings in more depth with her, but I think there might be something you can help with.”
”Follow me” she says and leads the group into an adjoining room.
This chamber is the lodge library and study. The walls are lined with bookshelves, while several tables in the middle of the room are heaped with scrolls and books. One table in the center, however, supports only a single object— an ornate cubical stone coffer covered with Thassilonian runes.
Sheila asks for the PCs to have a seat around the table and then she speaks:
“I apologize for the delay, as I must conclude my business with Pathfinder Azmeren before we meet. In the meantime, though, I thought you could help us with another minor issue. This stone coffer is an ancient Thassilonian puzzle, a cunning feat of magical engineering known as a paradox box. As you’ll see from even a casual investigation, what appear to be seams on the sides are only shallow grooves—there’s no obvious way to open the thing. Each paradox box has its own secret method of being opened. Essentially, a paradox box substitutes hidden catches and magical triggers for a lock. Given time, anyone clever enough could figure out how to open a paradox box, just as given time, a locksmith can open any lock. This particular box was among those items recovered by Koriah—the scrolls next to the box are her preliminary notes on possible triggers or methods of opening it, but she’s not yet had a chance to sit down and properly investigate the thing. So... why don’t you put your heads together and see if you can’t do that for me? Even if the box is empty, as I suspect it probably is, knowing the method of opening it makes it a valuable find anyway. I’ll return shortly, and I hope to see that box open! Think of this as an audition, if you will—because the actual task I want to speak to you about soon will require as much wit as it will brawn!”
An almost silly smile starts to catch on Sandu's face, he moves to the table reaching for one of scrolls he takes it back to a seat and begins to hum as he opens and begins to read it.
Olander likewise grabs another scroll. Well, at least it’s something to do...
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Nocki stands almost at military attention at the entrance of lady Heidmarch. After a brief hello to Azmeren, he follows Heidmarch's line of thought and his eyes shine at the mention of Thassilonian artifacts. Now this is what I signed up for, he thought.
Upon entering the library, he notices the shelves and suppresses some disdain about it. Many good customers are book worms. As his eyes set on the cube with intricate runes and symmetry, his mouth hangs open. "Do you see that Bear? It's beautiful, no?", he says to his koala. Unconsciously he thinks of how much he could get for it.
As the long haired cleric and tiefling settle on a scroll, Nocki says "How about we read them aloud so everyone knows all of Azmeren's thoughts on it? Here, I'll start." He picks a scroll and reads it aloud.
Ignoring the scrolls, Mikkitar moves about 2" away from the cube and begins to examine it extremely closely.
"Yes-yes, mysterious box of wonders. We must-must open the hidden box and find its treasures."
Seemingly talking to himself, he notes down his own observations on the cube before beginning to try and open it.
Jera unfurls one of the scroll and repeats the contents to his new companions. He then tries to recall if he'd heard anything about paradox boxes previously.
Koriah’s notes are an invaluable resource . The scroll lists translations of the significant runes on the box—one of the most oft-repeated symbols was the rune for “wrath,” which Koriah also notes is associated with evocation magic, and in the earliest days of Thassilon with the word “kindness.” Her notes indicate that this rune merely marks the box has having once belonged to a citizen of the Thassilonian nation of Bakrakhan, and that the rune likely has little to do with the method of opening this particular paradox box.
Another of Koriah’s scrolls lists a few other key observations—the key observation being that five of the box’s faces are identical, but on one face, several additional runes appear. These runes spell out the word “CRUEL.” Koriah has correctly deduced that this word is somehow linked to the box’s mystery. She’s also noted that each of the individual runes in the word can be reorganized by touching two runes at once—doing so causes the two touched runes to exchange places for an hour before reverting to their original spelling of “CRUEL.”
Olander thinks for a moment, more outloud than some might prefer," It looks like Koriah dismissed Wrath as having little to do with the box, but her notes do show a unique set of runes on one side spelling CRUEL, but more than this, the letters can be rearranged ad naseum. My Thassilonian is rusty, but perhaps it is an anagram? Besides cruel, the only legitimate Taldane words that could be formed are ulcer and lucre... Of course it could also be two words... Those combinations add possibilities to try, but the puzzle itself has 120 valid combinations. I suspect if it were just a matter of trying all 120, the box would already be open, so I suggest we try whatever seems most likely first, and hope for the best."
"Well, Lucre would be my guess if this is some kind of treasure box. I wonder if the letter runes could be swapped with the wrath runes on different sides of the box... Unless anyone has any other ideas as to how to arrange cruel?"
Unless anyone has any objections or better ideas, Jera will touch both the rune on the right side of the box with the letter R.
In the first 10 minutes of puzzling, Jera and Mikkitar feel like they're on the right track. Jera's study of Thassilonian realy helps. Olander just seems bored.
In the second 10 minutes of puzzling, Olander snaps out of it and starts to help Jera constructively. His presence seems to distract Mikkitar who isn't as helpful.
In the third 10 minutes of work, even though Nocki has gotten bored and started feeding leaves to Bear, it all comes together. Even Sandu (who the group has figured out is well-intentioned but not exactly bright) contributes.
As you puzzle with the runes and try different anagrams the group hits on the correct combination.
It is indeed ”Lucre”.
When the runes align correctly, the box glows momentarily and the lid hinges up.
”That's it!” Jera exclaims as it all comes together.
Then, there is a loud ”Pop” like an enormous soap bubble bursting and a brief surge of arcane power.
Two tiny creatures that look like some sort of horrid, rabid little lapdogs that have mastered walking their hind legs appear on the table next to the box. Their faces look somewhere between jackal and hyena with milky white eyes. They're less than two feet tall and weigh about as much as a dachshund. They're clothed in dirty tattered rags and both wield vicious knives that are nearly as large as they are.
One of the ugly creatures immediately squats and defecates on the table, the other cackles wildly from its little hyena mouth.
Initiative:
(assuming Bear is close enough for Alertness?)
Initiative order:
Nocki
Sandu
Monsters
Olander
Jera
Mikkitar
Nocki and Sandu are up.
"Summoned monsters! The box was trapped yes-yes!"
The cleric is as surprised as any of the others, but he is also trained by life on the streets and jumps before he thinks, he looks at Nocki. "The Ladies grace guide your hand"
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Nocki tries to help decipher the box, but ends up saying "Well, I slept during Thassilonian classes, you see." Over time, the group dismisses his suggestions and comments and he ends up tending to the cute little koala holding on to his shirt and neck.
As the creatures pop from the box, Nocki is as surprised as the creatures. He says "Well, isn't that nice?" as Sandu blesses him. He moves towards the creature next to Mikkitar while pulling his warhammer out of hanging from his belt and readies his shield, then he swings the hammer at the creature.
The two bizarre creatures, while menacing looking, do not immediately attack anyone.
They both grab scrolls off the table and begin ripping them into shreds to toss in the air like confetti.
Revised Initiative order:
Sandu
Monsters
Nocki
Olander
Jera
Mikkitar
Nocki and the rest of the party are up.
Nocki, you can keep your earlier action or change it if you wish.
Nocki steps forward, raises his hammer up high and brings it down on one the creatures with a crash.
The little creature is smashed flat, strange purple blood splatters in every direction across the table.
Nocki realizes he hit the table really hard and is immediately concerned he might have damaged Mistress Heidmarch's furniture.
The second creature turns its misshapen face towards Nocki and Bear and lets out a warbling cry:
"Blaaraaaagh!!!" in a squeaky little voice.
Bold can act:
Sandu
Monsters
Nocki
Olander
Jera
Mikkitar
Jera pulls at the top of a cane at his side, and his hand comes away holding a long, slender blade, previously concealed within the cane. He swings wildly at the remaining creature, but doesn't even come close to striking it.
Here, you're clever, so here are some miscreants to destory your stuff... Olander says clearly annoyed.
Olander pulls his blade and attempts to show off his skill with it. He takes advantage of his flanking with Nocki to stab one of the creatures with his rapier.
Mikkitar draws his weapon and swings at the tiny creature.
"Stupid little monsters! Die-die and begone!"
to hit, for damage
Jera is surprised by the trap, but correctly deduces that Mikkitar was right about the nature of the magic. He tries to draw his sword cane and stab it, but in the crowded room he has a hard time getting his stance and he makes a poor showing.
Olander barks his annoyance with the tiny creature, draws his rapier, and skewers it like a an angry little monkey on a spit.
"Blaaaraaagh!!!!" it squeals in its high pitched voice as it thrashes on his blade and expires.
Just as Olander finishes it off, Mikkitar shouts and slams his morningstar into the tabletop ..... nowhere near the action. It's not clear that his eyes were open as he made his swing.
As the creatures die, they begin to dissolve into some sort of clear gel-like liquid protoplasm. They seem to be dissolving away from this plane of existence and headed back to from whence they came.
After a brief moment, all that remains is an open puzzle box, torn and disheveled papers on the tabletop, and a small mound of gremlin poop.
"See-see, dead critters go splurch and poof. Summoned by magic, sent back to home-home plane. Now we look-look inside the box, get the shiny-shiny treasure, yes-yes?"
Mikkitar stows his weapon, unashamed of his abysmal performance. He looks into the opened puzzle box for more stuff.
Mikkitar looks in the box and sees 3 red garnets, a masterwork silver dagger, and a bronze ring.
Ever cautious Sandu mouths a quiet prayer to Desna and looks inside the box.
Caution is well warrented. Olander agrees as he starts to look it over, before checking with his allies and then trying to gather up the papers.
Sandu doesn't detect any poison.
Olander sees the same items that Mikki does.
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Nocki looks around and thinks about the group of uncoordinated strikes. He keeps his thoughts to himself for now and looks at the contents of the dagger. "Well, I suppose we report our findings, now, heh?" Despite wanting to keep the findings to himself, his loyalty is to the Society first.
He comments "I'm surprised no one came to check on us after all this ruckus. Is the house empty?", he then strokes Bear's head, pulls out his pipe and starts the long ritual of filling it then lighting it.