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Each of you receives a letter.
It seems as though the entire Grand Lodge has the air of a celebration. The great gates are flung wide, and the phoenix trees lining the entryway are in full flame. The halls of the main tower of Skyreach, normally somber and reserved, echo with the sound of voices and music. The great ballroom is decked for a celebration, with colorful banners and bunting along the walls, tables replete with food and drink, and a jovial cacophony of conversation rising from Pathfinders of all ancestries, nations, and backgrounds.
After a quick scan of the room, it’s obvious that many of the attendees have gathered in small groups here and there. A half-orc woman in an iconic ship captain’s hat stands near the punch bowl, handing cups to anyone who passes within reach, and a dark-skinned half-elf leads a small group of new agents around the room, introducing them to other attendees. Several senior agents stand in quiet conferral with a dark-haired Taldan man with a distinctive chin strap beard, while a scholarly dwarf tells a rousing tale to a growing audience.
A familiar blond halfling woman bounces over, bubbling with excitement. Janira Gavix, Head Initiate of the Pathfinder Society, grins, “Oh, I’m so glad you made it! After all, the celebration is for you. Have you gotten drinks? Snacks? Be sure to spend some time getting to know everyone—it’s best to be on good terms with the movers and shakers in the Society, that’s how you learn about the latest opportunities. I’ll be here if you need me to help you with anyone’s names or to make an introduction. Just let me know how I can help!” Janira gestures everyone forward into the room, beaming all the while.
1) Calisro Benarry, the totally-not-a-pirate half-orc head of the Horizon Hunters, is deep in conversation with a well-groomed, clean-shaven man of Qadiran descent, dressed finely and flashing a charming smile.
2) Eando Kline, the dour human head of the Vigilant Seal, is looking a bit stunned as Kreighton Shane, the whimsical elven Master of Scrolls, chats with him about cryptography.
3) Fola Barun, the dark-skinned and tattooed half-elven head of the Envoy's Alliance, is having a laid-back conversation with Valais Durant, the head of the Radiant Oath.
4) Gorm Greathammer, the dwarven head of the Grand Archive, is looking distinctly uncomfortable, as he has been cornered by Urwal, the lizardfolk head of the Verdant Wheel, who is patiently (and inexorably) going through a large volume of Mwangi lore, and pointing out all the errors.
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A goblin in leather armor with a rapier on one hip and tankard on the other strides into the party.
Looking at the rest of the group the goblin bows, "Chug of Katapesh and champion of Cayden Caileen." He looks around as he unhooks his tankard and looks over at Calisro Benarry. "Hopefully my captain over there has something stronger then punch."
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A half-elven woman in her early-twenties arrives wearing expensive fine clothing that would be perfectly at home at a party hosted by Zarta Dralneen, but is tasteful enough for an affair such as this. At the hollow of her throat is a silver holy symbol tied with a black leather cord like a choker. She checks her backpack containing her adventuring gear before joining the team with Janira, giving everyone a dazzling smile.
"Elixia Zielle of the savored sting, at your service." That last word emphasized just enough to be enticing. She looks at her fellow Pathfinder initiates and then around the room. "I'm sure we'll make the rounds of the party sooner or later. I'm not too concerned with where we start so long as the place we end up is exciting enough."
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Caelan Benedetto is comfortable at a party. This can easily be seen from his confidant stride to his graceful grey longcoat left fashionably open at the front. He exudes measured stability. His laced cream shirt, beneath a brown leather vest matches his leather gloves. Gold accents are tastefully dotted about with straps and clasps as well as a small golden key hung from his neck.
He inclines his head to his fellow initiates.
”Caelan Benedetto, at your service. I quite agree, shall we start with one and move on towards the others, starting with Lord Greathammer, perhaps?”
Then a beat later he glances down at the goblin and says, ”I should hope so good friend, I should hope so.”
An elven woman enters with leather armor decorated with daggers, her pace a bit quick.
"Merisiel. Look, this isn't my scene but orders are orders. I'm only following them to get bigger and better adventures. Let's just get this over with." Despite this, she doesn't seem to particularly care who the group talks to first.
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"Listen. I'm just here to make sure you don't all die." says a definitely unhappy dwarf with long golden locks of hair extending down past his shoulders from both his head and chin. He takes a puff of a cigar before flashing his clan dagger, warhammer, and bastard sword. "I'm your weapons, not your sweet talker. Now. Let's get moving. Merisiel here gets it."
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Elixia just giggles a bit at the goblin antics, then tries to take Merisiel by the arm if she'll allow it. "Oh come on, parties can be fun. What's the point of going on adventures if you can't enjoy the downtime between them too, hm?"
She will try to engage the iruxi in a similar fashion arguing that there's always time for work later, but parties are a time to let such things go and to relax!
Merisiel hesistates for a moment. I'd rather be in a 2x2 box being smuggled across Conqueror's Bay to Nidal than play tea party. I guess I could at least act like I enjoy myself though. She then accepts the arm of her elven teammate. "Sure, why not. Who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to show off a few tricks"
Merisiel joins Elixia's attempt to talk to Urwal by recounting a story of her on her subsisting on her own in the wilderness.
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Caelan takes a noticeable step forward, placing himself as the third point of a triangle with the pedantic Iruxi and Gorm.
”A fascinating set of errors indeed, such a list must be properly reviewed, ledger by ledger, at a moment of one’s true leisure, wouldn’t you agree? I am Caelan Benedetto. My pardon for any intrusion, but I am oh so eager to meet Lord Greathammer. If I could tear him away for a moment or three? Thank you kindly.”
He then inclines his head towards Gorm and says without the slightest hint of sarcasm, ”It is my honor to make your acquaintance, I was hoping we could speak?
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Chug, Caelan, and Guinoq manage to distract Urwal enough that the others are able to have a quick chat with Gorm Greathammer.
"There is a partially collapsed house in the Precipice Quarter, long rumored to be haunted, that has been marked for demolition in the next few days. I understand that the house was severely damaged in the earthquake of 4698 ar, but rumors of strange activity there long predate the quake. I would like you to uncover the history of the house before its destruction."
"Strange activity? Yes, we'll look into it!" answers Merisiel with a hint of desperation in her voice. She respond to her teammates. "I don't know what healing we'll need, but couldn't hurt."
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Caelan taps his chin thoughtfully.
”All three of these are of use with the undead, particularly the less substantial. If our group wishes, of course I could make use of the scroll of healing, but I think we may be in a situation where we’d like a little more ability to donate positive energy to our enemies. So give some consideration for the Disrupting Weapons scroll”
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Moving over to where Calisro is steadily drinking the enormous punchbowl dry, you learn that the man she is talking with is Aaqir al-Hakam, the former head of the old Exchange faction. He is trying to get Calisro to use her contacts to help establish a new trading link between Abasalom and the former Chelish colony of Sargava.
Merisiel helps herself to some of the punch. Finally, a drink!
She attempts to talk Aaqir al-Hakam about trade routes, though she cares less about the trade routes and just wants the group to hurry up so they can check out the strange activity mentioned by Gorm.
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Dazzatir wordlessly grabs a drink and downs it in one fell swoop. "Definitely needed that," he grumbles as he pulls up a chair next to Calisro.
"You look like you could use a drink too," he says pointing to Aaqir. "Trade routes this, business that. Do you ever take a moment to just stop? I understand business doesn't stop moving, but Calisro here seems a bit less than interested right now."
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Despite several false starts, the party manages to distract the man long enough, that Calisro is able to pass on some information.
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Benarry has made some weird friends over the years. One of the weirdest—a long-lived naga with unparalleled occult knowledge—was unjustly accused
of a crime, punished with the Charge of the Gorgon, and left petrified in Westgate. Calisro’s bribed someone to get permission to restore her friend, but it’ll look a lot more official if a third party takes care of the details, and the party are a perfect fit. She gives you a greater salve of antiparalysis with explicit instructions that it be used only on the target.
Additionally, she laughs and slips you a small, unmarked hip flask, describing it as “a pick-me-up for when you really need to get back
on your feet.” Examining the red fluid within reveals that this is a Minor Healing Potion (mixed with strong spirits).
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Caelan takes his own more subdued sip enjoying the libation stoically.
He turns to his new party members and says, ”Very good, the history of a haunted house for Lord Greathammer, bringing a friend back to society for Captain Bennary, though from the sound of it there will be some enticement to use the salve on someone else?”
He takes in a slow breath and ponders for a moment.
”Ok, Eando Kline then Fola Barun, shall we?”
Merisiel attempts to impress Krieghton with her knowledge of the Society and everything she's learned in her schooling.
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Putting their heads together, the party is able to distract Kreighton.
Eando outlines his request:
"Some smugglers were using a recently exposed ship in the Flotsam Graveyard to smuggle goods into the city from Nex—including creatures, apparently. One of their “goods” broke free of its containment, and the smugglers been looking for someone to recapture it. I'm not keen on letting the smugglers regain their missing “cargo,” as the creature is equally likely to be a slave or a menace. Your goal is to locate and identify this strange creature, and then determine what its fate should be. I'm empowering the group to make that decision, because I don’t believe you should trust an uninformed central authority to make that call."
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Fola is having a laid-back conversation with Valais, discussing how best to help the Lastwall survivors who have flocked to Absalom recover their footing.
"I know a thing or two about how to make their aches better"
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The party manages to distract Valais with helpful suggestions, letting Fola explain her request:
"A scholar at the College of Mysteries has been working on an interesting new ritual that’s has led to considerable division among her colleagues. She’s been under growing pressure to leave the college, so now might be a good time to contact her, determine if she would be a good fit for the Pathfinder Society, and, if so, recruit her."
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This old home might have once commanded the respect and envy of its neighbors, but the remaining story is cracked and crumbling. Whatever upper stories it might have once had have long collapsed, scattering stone and debris across gardens grown wild and weedy. Two curving staircases lead to a broad veranda bereft of its railings. Two openings that might have once been doors lead into the faint remnants of a solarium, while two more doors lead further into the creaking house itself. A whiff of rot and decay seeps from the structure...