[Outpost IV][PFS2] #1-12: The Burden of Envy

Game Master Ilmakis

You guys have better Diplomacy so I was waiting for you to take the lead, I think we should go for it.

Marigold turns back to the receptionist. ”I don’t suppose there’s an opening we could squeeze into?”, she asks. ”We just need a quick word, and we’ll be done lickety-split”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Burning a Hero Point

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

To the well-manicured man disappointment, the receptionist stops paying attention to him to focus on the Pathfinders.

Let me see.

After perusing through some pages she turns to you.

Sorry, nothing before 4 days.

Now that you have her attention, ONE of you can make a diplomacy check to request an meeting with Themolin

Brillock nudges Marigold and gives her a wink as he passes her a gold piece. "Don't you know how to speak their language?" he motions towards the receptionist with his head, urging her to sweet talk their way into an appointment.

Using up a gold, I'll leave it to you to remember to mark it on my chronicle, or else, FREE BRIBE.

@Brillock are you openly bribing the receptions in front of several witness?

I'm not doing anything, suggesting to Marigold that she should use it as a bribe, but I also wasn't aware that we had a bunch of people staring at us? Weren't the two of them barely even paying attention? And if I was to use my bribe, it's not like I would just announce out loud, I HOPE THIS GOLD TALKS FOR ME, I was just suggesting that she slide the gold across a table while she's using her diplomacy. Also didn't our contact tell us to bribe people to keep us out of trouble? Anyways it's up to Marigold, whatever.

Marigold winks back at Brillock, and nonchalantly palms the gold crown. She turns back to the receptionist.

”Well, if that’s the earliest, then it’ll have to do”, she says. ”Would you be a dear and put us in for then? Thank you so much!” She flashes a winning smile.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

@Brillock - Well yes, it was kinda framed like bribing people is the norm around here and is expected. But also, GM didn't say "this is a bad idea", just "are you sure you want to do this?"... take that as you will ;)

@Brillock Yes, they were barely paying attention to you. But now, you have the attention of the receptionist and certainly of the well-manicured man, as you have ruined his tentative of showing off :)
And, even if bribing is the norm, no one want to be that obvious.
Giving a bribe openly is different to have it given it an "official" manners. (ie you can make a Thievery check to give it unseen, make a Deception check to look like she drops the coin ...)

@Marigold do you want to reroll this failed Diplomacy roll?

I already burned my Hero Point, but if you’re cool with it, sure
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

I will say that It's your 1h HP bonus that you can use now!

The receptionist quickly takes the gold and smiles to Marigold.
Let me see again if I can squeeze you somewhere.

She peruses through her pages again and after a minute she says.
There! Sorry, could not find something sooner than tomorrow morning, 9am.

She looks at you to see if you agree with the new date.

”Minty!”, Marigold beams. ”See you then!”

She leads the others outside. ”Thanks for the tip”, she says to Brillock. ”Now, who’s next?”

As Voron tends to the daughter he begins to ramble about arcane studies. He simply can't keep to a simple task without his mind racing about what else it could be doing.

You know if you think about we'll just keep advancing the art of mage hands until they can do this for us. They'll grow their own intelligence. We'll give them tiny little knives for the cutting, or needles for the medicine. Of course it'll have to be clean. Hmm, yes, I bet I could make some coin selling the supplies! But who could afford such services? Any self-respecting kingdom, even this one, would provide it to its subjects to keep an efficient economy! ... and on and on he goes until he realizes she's completely asleep. Bah! Kids.

"Well I don't quite trust the client Garrla quite yet, it sounds like they're part of the emerald guard. How about we try out Flitch, he knows a secret tunnel to the cove where we need to sneak out most of the clients. Envy Row East, near Copper Street and Loyalty Way. Also we need to keep an eye on the time and get back to the tavern before the curfew."

== At the Inn ==

Voron takes care of Vurna and Yuleg regularly provides the elf food and drinks.
Yes, I know she was excited to get out of here. When we meet Guaril and his nephew Flitch she seems quite eager to pass time with them. But when Guaril failed to show up on time, she was disappearing nightly. To do I don't know what, and one day, she starts coughing and have a fever.
Since then, I'm so worried that I haven't do anything, not even be able to sold my last six barrels of pickled fish!

== Outside the Ministry of Thithes ==

It's well past noon, and the Pathfinders, disguised as merchants, discuss with each other.
They've secure an appointment with Themolin for tomorrow but still have some "client" to see.

Brillock suggest to go see Flitch, what will be the decision of the others?

"Well I don't quite trust the client Garrla quite yet, it sounds like they're part of the emerald guard. How about we try out Flitch, he knows a secret tunnel to the cove where we need to sneak out most of the clients. Envy Row East, near Copper Street and Loyalty Way. Also we need to keep an eye on the time and get back to the tavern before the curfew."

”Sounds good to me”, Marigold replies. ”Onward!”

Intelligence, DC11: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Voron Hmphs and frowns, thinking on Yuleg's observations.

I imagine she's sneaking out to socialize. Have you confronted her about it? It would be good to know where she picked this up, and what she was doing when this happened.

Hmm, mental note, if we can help him sell those fish we could craft a makeshift raft out of the barrel...

Say, what if we could help you sell those fish? Could we then keep the barrel? Do you have routine clients that you sell to, at some market?

=== In Front of Fitch's flat === (A1 on the map)

After two hours through the crowed and bustling street of Xin-Edasseril, and some encounters with Emerald guards looking at your traveling papers, you get to Fitch's dress. A rundown flat, typical of the residences of Envy Row East.
A poor lock bars the front door. The windows are boarded over, and fragments of a flowerpot lie beneath one windowsill.

=== At the Inn ===

She a grown woman, I can't really do anything except tell her to be prudent... I do hope that when she wakes up, she will be able to tell us.

Listening to Voron suggestion, the dwarf says I don't think I will have time to sell these quickly without the barrels. Usually, I was the one buying these from wholesaler, and I don't want to get too much attention if we are able to left this place. There is informants everywhere...

Marigold looks at the shattered pot. ”Good thing that wasn’t me”, she says. Then she steps up to the door and knocks.

After several knocks on the doors and attempts to call Fitch, nobody answers.

Clearly, the place seems empty of inhabitants.

"These Emerald Guards are starting to get on my nerves-ssu," Lucky grunts out of earshot. "Show me this paper, show me that permit, can't a halfling travel around in peace-ssu?"

In front of Fitch's apartment, Lucky looks around at the boarded windows and shattered flower pot, his expression a mixture of frustration and worry.

"Looks like Fitch was trying to get someone here. Can only hope the guards weren't alerted and decided to raid the place-ssu." He walks up to the door, and mutters into the crack, "I dunno if you're here to hear me, but if you are, we're here from your uncle about your slippers-ssu. Pretty important stuff."

Nobody's answer, but may be Lucky could "open" the locked door?

Voron chuckles and "waves" off the answer indicating a slight misunderstanding.

No no my good man. I mean perhaps me and my teammates could sell it and then maybe use the barrel. Ideally you wouldn't leave here at all, as we don't want to risk your eventual flight from these lands. Don't dwell on it right now though, we can discuss it more when my more... social teammates return.

==== At the inn ====

Yuleg smiles, and says Ah! If you have time to sell these, do it. Not much wholesaler in town, but if you go from inn to inn or tavern to tavern you will certainly able to do it.
You can use my wagon if needed.

”This isn’t good. He might be in trouble”, Marigold says with exaggerated concern. ”We should check to see if he’s okay”

Taking a couple of picks from a pouch on her belt, she starts to work on the lock.

Thievery: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

With one try, Marigold is able to open the door.

Inside, a thin layer of dust covers the floors of this sparsely furnished wood-walled apartment. The northern wall bears crude etchings, graffiti, and other odd markings.

"Well, this is... concerning, I'd say. No sign of any recent use-ssu. Just what kinda messed up stuff is that?", the halfling mutters as he steps up to inspect the graffiti closer.

As Lucky get closer to the graffiti, he spot Flitch’s name hidden in the graffiti and markings on the wall, along with a coded message!

You can try to decipher the coded message with a Society (decipher writing) check!
Those who want to try the check, can give me their bonus in Society or Underworld Lore

Brillock takes a look at the graffiti on the walls along with the message.

Society +7

"Looks like some kind of code... I'm sure I recognize Fitch's name in this-ssu. Hold on, let's try and crack it."

Lore (underworld) +5

Society, DC15: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 Yeah! We should be able to sell it, no problem! Whoops :P

=== At Flitch's place ===

You look at the coded message, and rapidly come to the conclusion that Flitch is hiding out in the sewers! You are even able to understand that the surrounding markings form a map of where Fitch is hiding! This will grant you a +1 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to Track Flitch to his Sewer Hideout

What do you want to do?

Brillock explains the coded message to the rest of the party and suggests that we either go down into the sewers to try and find Flitch or head back to the inn depending on the time. If we don't know the time we could always ask an emerald guard, I'm sure they'd be happy to remind us.

”If we’re gonna keep a low profile, we’d better head back”, says Marigold, ”unless anyone’s feeling lucky”

Lucky eyes Marigold for a moment, not sure if she was taking a stab at him or merely referring to him by coincidence.

"Right, let's not push our luck. We got a good amount of info today, and tomorrow's a new day. A whole lot to do, but we'll have more valuable time."

"Sounds good, we can go to the Ministry of Tithes in the morning at 9 for our appointment and then search for Flitch afterwards."

The disguised merchants get back to the inn, preferring not to push their luck.

@Voron you can roll your medicine check to see if your continuous caring effort on Vurna

Wakey wakey! It's time for your medicine again. Then you can go back to sleep. I promise you it won't be long...

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

@Voron you can reroll this failure if you want

No wait! Wrong medicine. It's this one!

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Um.....

RIP Vurna, she will be missed.

When the Pathfinders came back from their errands, Vurna's status is still the same but her condition haven't worsen.

I let you decide what to do this night and prepare for the next day.
- Continuing tending to Vurna
- Trying to sell the pickle fish

Voron explains the situation with the pickled fish and potentially available barrel to the group: the barrel could be used, the fish has to be sold discretely.

In the meantime he continues tending to Vurna. Voron's problem is that he can't let something go once he's started it.

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 getting warmer...

Marigold cocks her head as Voron explains the plan, but then her eyes light up. ”You mean smuggle someone out in the barrel?”, she asks. ”Hmmm, that could work...”

Since his infused reagents will expire over night, he offers to help with Vurna's sickness by having her drink an Elixir of Life for the night. "I'll throw together another Antiplague for you in the morning, just hold on until then."

I'm good for the night, ready for the next day.

DAY 2

Voron decides to continue taking care of the young Vurna during the night while his comrades sleeps on good beds.

On the morning, if Voron is tired, it seems that the daughter has recover a bit from her illness to her father's delight!

She even ask for some beer and bread!

Voron is fatigued until he can rest for 8h

With still a weak voice she says Thank you for tending me. Who are you and how can I help you back?

Excited by her daughter recovery, Yuleg is like a lion in cage and give you the biggest breakfeast of your life!

Activity for today:
- See Themolin at the Ministry of Tithes
- Look for Flitch in the sewers
- Sell the pickle fish to be able to use the 6 barrels
- Look for another of Guaril client

”I can hustle some fish”, says Marigold. ”Voron spent yesterday here, so today’s my day in the barrel. So to speak” She smirks.

Lucky's sleep is restless, waking up several times to look around the room and peek out of a window. Despite his conviction in Guaril's good intentions, the city of Xin-Edasseril makes the halfling very much uncomfortable.

"I dunno; we should go see Themolin as soon as possible. Don't wanna leave the big shot waiting, and his coin could prove useful for us-ssu."

"Yes, we definitely must not miss our appointment. Themolin first?" Brillock suggests to the group as he prepares his infused reagants and potions.

Are you saying you'd rather Voron come along and not rest yet? Or just that at least some of the party should make that appointment?