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Bibi is, somewhat strangely, the first to arrive; more likely than not, she simply received the summons first.
She wears a big, round shield at her back, a tired expression, and hide armor that looks quite comfortable. Her broad shoulders slouch, and dark shadows under her eyes give the distinct impression of someone who is more fit for a bed than a battle.
"Hey," she says simply to whoever arrives first.
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Seren looks around, standing hesitantly beside some barrels. A burly nagaji stevedore barrels past her and she almost falls over while skipping out of the way.
Hearing Bibi's 'hey', she gives a small smile, "I hope this is the right place? I've not done this before."
She looks around, "Are you here to meet Mr. Valsin?"
After a pause, Seren recognises something in the Ulfen woman's response, "I'm Seren." She steps forward and holds out a hand, "Nice to meet you."
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"Well, if you're in the wrong place, at least we're both lost together," grins Bibi, taking Seren's hand; her handshake is firm, but not crushing.
"I'm Bibi. Part-time vixen, full-time nap queen," she adds.
Her features shift, fur covering skin, nose elongating, ears migrating north and becoming triangular, until she stands as a white-furred kitsune. "This kind of vixen, not, y'know. I'm not just calling myself a 'vixen' in the other sense. That would be... weird. A weird expression."
She turns back with just as little hesitation, yawning for the duration, and finds a spot on the wall to lean against.
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Seren's eyes widen, "You're a... a fox- um, a vixen-person. Do you know- No, silly. I didn't-" she puts her hand over her mouth for a long second.
"Sorry, I'm just getting used to things. The last kitsune I knew, well, it was traumatic. They helped me. Did things I couldn't do. Some memories though..." the young woman looks out over the harbour and unconsciously reaches for her holy symbol.
Seren makes a wincing, apologetic smile, "I really am pleased to meet you. Absalom is so..." she waves her hands around at all the bustle, "vast. It's good to be part of a team."
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Bibi offers a somber smile. "If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm happy to lend an ear," she says.
"Also, I'm totally using 'vixen-person' from now on. That's amazing." She puts her thumb on her chin and grins behind a finger. "I've been to Absalom a few times, so if you need help getting around, let me know. I'm no professional guide or anything, but I know the broad strokes and a few of my favorite places."
"Mostly quiet places," she admits.
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Suddenly, a group of horn-players begins playing a fanfare. a loud voice shouts,
The voice is coming from a big man with a big bushy black beard, walking down the docks with a quartet of horns. He's wearing little more than a chain shirt and a pair of briefs. Despite his bushy beard and hair, his chest is surprisingly hairless
He turns back to the assembled hornplayers and hands them a bag of silver pieces. "Thanks guys, you were great."
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Bibi leans out and watches the spectacle, pulling a bit of fried tofu from her bag and munching as the big guy approaches... somewhat noisily.
"I feel like my odds of getting a nap in just tanked..."
She leans back and gives an aside glance at Seren. "Do you think they put all the animal people in one group? You aren't hiding cat ears under that hair, are you? It's cool if you are, just. Y'know. Full disclosure."
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Elena enters in a hurry and beams in relief seeing Bibi already here. "Oh, good! Hi!" she waves excitedly.
((Actual pic I drew of her: https://i.imgur.com/2XIBSmZ.png ))
"I thought I wouldn't find the right place but then I heard the trumpets..." she turns to the other woman and the bearded man. [b]"My name is Elena Endari, pleased to met you."
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"No, no, no," Wesley says, punctuating each word with a swish of his massive hands, "I'm Wesley Hoggins, the Mad Cow of Macridi, and I'm gonna teach all of ya a real lesson. If yer gunna be an adventurer, ya gotta be confident and take charge. If you got a sentence to say, ya say it and ya say it to the end. You walk in to the room, ya gotta know deep in yer gut that you're the strongest thing in the room, and you prove if ya hafta. Confidence, it'll protect ya better than any suit of armor."
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Water laps steadily at the pier as sailors, laborers, and merchants rush busily around Absalom’s port. The venture-captain’s summons called for a meeting aboard the Sixwing Drake, a sleek sailing ship. The Drake’s captain, a Varisian woman and fellow Pathfinder named Zarah Zendrani, stands at the
helm of her vessel. “It’s not like Valsin to be late,” she mutters, furrowing her brow...
As if on cue, a tall and meticulously groomed man pushes his way through the crowd and up the gangplank, cursing audibly. “Whoever supervises this mess of a port needs to be dumped in the sea!” he grumbles. The tall man looks around at those gathered before him. “Just the group I requested. Perfect. I’m Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin, and I took great care in selecting just the right Pathfinders for this assignment.”
Valsin reaches into his belt pouch and withdraws a small, folded paper before continuing. “A few days ago, I received a curious note from a rather unexpected source. It’s not every day that I get a request from an agent of the Aspis Consortium.” Captain Zendrani’s eyes widen, and Valsin smiles knowingly. “But Magali Delroya does not appear to be your typical Aspis agent. As you surely know, the Aspis Consortium pursues a variety of activities across the Inner Sea that the Pathfinder Society finds abhorrent. It seems that Delroya has been working with them for some time, but can no longer stomach the snakes herself. She wants to stop a shipment of an experimental drug from leaving Diobel later this week. It’s bound for a number of locations across the Inner Sea region. According to Delroya, she can’t ask the local authorities for help, because the Aspis Consortium has already struck a deal with a faction of the Kortos Consortium, a powerful merchant collective. Her hands are tied, so she’s come to us for help. In this note, she outlines three different tasks that would help to disrupt the Aspis long enough for her to move the shipment to a secure location, out of the clutches of the consortium. Once you accomplish two of these tasks, she’s willing to meet with you, but not before.
“Normally, I wouldn’t trust an Aspis agent at any hour of the day. But our sources in Diobel have confirmed the Aspis and Kortos consortia’s activities. Everything checks out, so we are presented with a unique opportunity. If we help Delroya, we might not only strike a financial blow against the Aspis Consortium, but we could also reveal their dealings with the Kortos Consortium—and possibly prevent their arrangement from turning into a more formal alliance. Furthermore, we hope to stop this drug from spreading across the Inner Sea region, and if we—if all of you—do a good enough job, we might even convince Delroya to join the Society. A turncoat agent would be a valuable asset in our ongoing run-ins with the Aspis Consortium.
“Take some time to look over Delroya’s note and the tasks she has set for you. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask. Remember, the Aspis Consortium is a long-time enemy of the society, but the Kortos Consortium, while certainly suspicious, is not our enemy. It is a complex organization with many factions, and we should avoid antagonizing any of them, except when necessary to oppose the Aspis Consortium.”
Valsin hands you both the note he received as well as the tasks Delroya has prescribed; he gives you some time to read over them before answering any questions you might have...
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Bibi takes a look at the note with an upturned frown. "So, basically this is a drug deal with a whole lot of people involved, and we need to try to [bleep] it up without making it obvious that we're [bleep]ing it up?" she asks.
"And we can be jerks to the Aspis Consortium, but not the Kortos Consortium."
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A smallish (5'6"; 150#) Tien-Shu that has been standing silently nearby clears his throat and says..."Master Valsin, Sewers tend to be inhabited by creatures that carry poison or even disease. Some are even infested by swarms, nasty things I encountered during my Confirmation. Did you happen to bring provision we me purchase to help with these problems. Alchemist Fire, anti-plague, anti-poison, and the like? I have a little saved up which will allow me to make some purchases for the group to use if needed."
"I wonder if I have come across the name "Laszo the Leper" in my studies....?"
"Perhaps it would be best to go to the Inn first. If we raise enough of a disturbance and the guards shut it down, then maybe it will be easier to get into the sewers undetected. Master Valsin, would you think it best to have our Wayfinders stored at the Guild Hall until we return so the Aspis cannot prove we are from the Society?"
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As you discuss amongst yourselves how you should best navigate these tasks, Venture-Captain Valsin tries to answer any questions you might have, about the mission or key players involved in it, as best he can...
wanderer, never comfortable in one place for long. I saw great potential in her as a Pathfinder, but she always preferred to work alone and felt that the society was a poor fit. Had I known that she would wind up with the Aspis Consortium, I would have put more effort into recruiting her.”
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You also try to recall what you may know of the two Consortiums involved in this mission...
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"Oh, Seren, so you want it to be a tag team match out there? Well, I'll tell you what, normally the Mad Cow of Macridi is in a herd of one in the squared circle but since we won't be providing the finest in sports entertainment, I'll see what I can do."
"I ain't never heard of no House Locasta there, Huong, but I'll try to keep it in mind."
"Now, Venture Captain Valsin, just so we know the lay of the land out there, is there some sort of romantic entanglement between you and this Magali? I ain't judgin', brother, even the Mad Cow himself gets sweet on a milkmaid from time to time, if you catch my drift."
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A bald man with glorious red locks sprouting out from his chin rushes up the gangplank. An bowl of ethereal material woven together full of soup in hand, he awkward shovels it in his face as he hustles.
Just as he makes the threshold onto the ship proper, the bowl vanishes, dumping it's contents down the front of his shirt. "DRAT! It was all you can eat at the tavern..."
With a flick of his wrist, water from the sea douses the front of him, washing away the remaining meal. Holding the same hand outward, the water sucks out of his clothing and seems to hang in the air before him a moment.
"Huh...that'd be new. Howdy! Anyway, no need to worry your heads any longer. Omnia Kahlo, your Solutions Consultant has arrived precisely at the time intended." he calls out with a wide grin. The man quickly hands a card to each person in attendance.
Quite obviously armed with nothing but a dagger, his meager pack pulling tightly on his slender frame, he takes in the group. "Quite the team they've assembled for me. I look forward to seeing each of you in action as we... as we..."
Trailing off, he turns to VC Valsin. "What was it you called us here for?"
"Oh, of course. Drugs." he interrupts any refresher attempted. "As for skillset I bring, beyond finding solutions, fighting at a distance."
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Encouraged, Bibi gives a sleepy smile.
"I hope we don't have a bad trip. That would be..."
She thinks a moment, then shrugs.
"I thought I'd have something, but I'm out. Anyway, pleased to meet you, Omnia," she says, eyeing the card. "That soup smelled... surprisingly good for this part of town, actually. Did you get it at the Winding Roads Inn?"
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"Now, Venture Captain Valsin, just so we know the lay of the land out there, is there some sort of romantic entanglement between you and this Magali? I ain't judgin', brother, even the Mad Cow himself gets sweet on a milkmaid from time to time, if you catch my drift."
Valsin arches an eyebrow. "Most assuredly not! Any Pathfinder, even a Mad Cow, should know a Venture-Captain would not dally with an active agent of the Aspis...but if she be turned to be a Pathfinder asset, well that be a horse of a different color...
"If you be having no further questions, you had best prepare for your journey quickly. By the time you arrive in Diobel, you will have only a day, or two at most, to complete your tasks. I suggest you take an hour or so at most, to gather supplies and make any last-minute purchases before setting sail aboard the Sixwing Drake docked here. Fare thee well...you are dismissed."
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Seren nods along thoughtfully with all of the chat.
Once the pathfinders have regouped on the boat, she sits them all down together, "Now, I'm going to say a small prayer that will... connect us. It's one of Desna's ways of helping me to help my friends. I hope nobody objects?"
When Seren rises in the morning, she performs a Harrow reading for herself.
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"The inn? I...I didn't catch the name of it. The lovely aroma of that heavenly soup took me in..."
"Shopping? We've got time to shop?! Oh excellent. I would love to get another bowl...should probably pickup a few supplies too. Sewers sound...interesting for sure."
Turning to Seren, he smiles. "I'm all for the guidance of the divine. I'm not even particular as to which god offers a hand."
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After any new purchases or other such preparation, you return to the docks and board the Sixwing Drake. You are shown your quarters and soon you are off!
The journey is uneventful and you soon approach the port of Diobel...
Captain Zendrani and the crew of the sleek Sixwing Drake steer the ship up to the massive barrier of broken war-barges, crumbling walls, and jetties of iron and wood that protect the port of Diobel. “Well, here we are,” says the captain. “I’ll make sure everything is in order with Diobel’s inspectors and charter you a barge to the port. You aren’t carrying anything particularly valuable, so you shouldn’t draw much attention from the inspectors or pilots, so long as you don’t run your mouth. My crew and I will wait here with the ship. You can return here to rest, if you need to, but remember—there isn’t much time!”
You arrive in Diobel harbor at sunrise on Oathday. Zendrani slips a barge captain several gold pieces as a sign of good faith. She asks him if he could do her the favor of sticking around on shore for the day in case you need to return to the ship. The captain is a stocky middle-aged man with weather-beaten skin and calloused hands. His name is Markus Karbie, and he accepts Zendrani’s deal. The barge journey from the barrier to the coast is uneventful as well...
As you depart from the barge and place your feet back on firm ground, you find that Zendrani is correct as the inspectors pretty much wave you through with little ado. Once in the town proper, you make inquiries about the inn/tavern...
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As the prayer nears completion, Bibi adds:
"Desna's great, Desna's good, and we thank Her for our food. Amen."
Once the prayer's over, Bibi clears her throat a little. "I'm actually more inclined to Arshea, but I'll say howdy to whichever goddess is relevant at the moment. We're about to travel, so I think Desna makes sense."
As for a plan, she shrugs.
"I'm partial to pretending we think it's a karaoke bar-- make them have to shout if they want to be heard."
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Once they arrive, Bibi will quietly pull aside a sailor or two and ask them if they know where to find the Overflowing Oyster.
She gets a pretty decent set of directions... although admittedly she's bad with them. Not horrible, though, and she can steer the group to approximately the right location and then just keep an eye out for signs.
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Bibi pulls aside a sailor to ask the way to the tavern; even though she can tell he's a little disappointed that she only wants information, he smiles warmly and points the kitsune in the right direction, letting her know it lies not too far to the east...
Having gotten directions now and getting your bearings, you head off towards the tavern. And you find it within just a few minutes as it's close by...
As you approach the exterior does indeed reflect the very definition of a seedy tavern. The Overflowing Oyster is a dirty, broken-looking building that barely fits between the fishing tackle shop to its north and the junk shop to its south. Hanging over the door is a creaky sign that shows a painted oyster with pearls spilling from its gaping shell. The interior of the Overflowing Oyster displays a mix of rickety furniture and gaudy decorations, from strands of obviously fake pearls hanging over the kitchen’s entrance to wooden carvings of sultry mermaids and cheap paintings of ships at sea...
You notice two main entries; a single-sized door off the docks on the southeastern wall of the building and a wider set of double-doors in the middle of the tavern's northern face. Since you've several hours before the meeting at noon, you have a while to get a feel for the place, inside and out, and put together a plan well before the different consortium agents arrive...
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Bibi smiles. ”You’ve never heard me do Dance Floor Brawl,” she points out. ”It’s the only time I’m loud, really.”
Her eyes light up at the laxative idea. ”That’s great—it would be suspicious in a better setting, but here? They’re just going to assume it comes with the territory. Like ordering from Taco Chime.”
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Having seen the layout of the tavern's exterior, you take a look inside...
The interior of the Overflowing Oyster displays a mix of rickety furniture and gaudy decorations, from strands of obviously fake pearls hanging over the kitchen’s entrance to wooden carvings of sultry mermaids and cheap paintings of ships at sea.
Contrary to its name, the dirty tavern is hardly crowded at this hour...and from the looks of it, you don't think it gets so very busy at peak hours either. There are a handful of local laborers hunch over a cheap breakfast meal and casual games of chance, cursing and muttering to the same old friends about the same old troubles...