, a well-appointed establishment just 10 miles outside of Kerse, the capital of Druma, in the "Shining Kingdoms" - a Pub which inadvertently doubles as an "Open Secret" Pathfinder Lodge - summoned with discretion at the behest of one Kristoff Valicho.
Publy Character Introductions:
When introducing yourselves in your opening post, choose one or more Intro Questions below to answer (first spoiler). Next, if you would peruse the Open Missive that accompanies your summons (second spoiler). Finally, at your option, please post your Proficiency and Modifier in the following skills that represent your Background Knowledge (third spoiler):
Q) How did you arrive just outside of Kerse? Where are you coming from? Describe your long journey here!
Q) In the Downtime that occurred before this adventure, what did you do? How does it tie into joining this mission?
Q) Have you ever been "out of your depth"? How did you recognize it? How did it make you feel? How did you handle it?
Q) When it comes to Attention to Detail, where do you stand? Are you more "loose" or do you dot and cross every "i" and "t"?
Q) How would you know if someone was lying to you? How would this change if instead of to your face, it was over written communications?
Greetings Pathfinders,
Though our dealings in the past have not always been as successful as one might hope, I view the recent establishment of your lodge near Kerse as a new opportunity. To begin this renewed collaboration, I propose an exchange of services. I shall use my standing in Druma to help your Society make new contacts and stem the tide of Aspis interference in your ventures. In exchange, I would like you to investigate a recent stroke of misfortune that befell my business.
A cargo ship bearing a shipment of steel ingots bound for my customers was recently shipwrecked on journey from Detmer in the north. I suspect my partner in the venture, Annette Tuddlym, may have planned the wreck to collect on the insurance payment. While my own investment was likewise insured, I fear the loss of the shipment may have damaged my reputation with the arranged buyers. Her connections to the local bureaucracy are deep, however, and I cannot bring forward my suspicions without some proof.
I would like you to journey to the site of the wreck to confirm its destruction and bring back any documents pertaining to the voyage you find intact so that I might examine them for evidence. In addition, if any of the cargo has survived the wreck, please retrieve it as well.
Yours in profit and health,
Temel Passad
Recall Knowledge
-Accounting Lore
-Bureaucracy Lore
-Druma Lore
-Mercantile Lore
-Pathfinder Society Lore
-Legal Lore
-Scribing Lore
-Society
Next, if you could each proceed to Discussion to complete the Check In.
Finally, without further ado, let us begin to inspect such
A halfling dressed in many layers, carrying a smile and a flute walks into the Silver Spoon Tavern. Sweeping aside the blonde fringe that has fallen across his left eye, he looks around the room. Spotting the Open Road glyph on a tabard he raises an eyebrow but buys a drink and joins the group. "I guess that 'secret' is a bit more open than I was expecting. Anyway, I'm Lem - I heard the society needed a hand with a delicate mission. Either of you know much about it?"
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Lem leans on a bar in a tavern in the Foreign Quarter, having played a fairly poorly received early set. He watches as a pair of sorcerers he was recently adventuring with set up for their own performances. The camera checks in on the halfling a few times over the course of the night, each time Lem's face is grimmer and the crowd is more raucous and throwing more money at the sorcerers. Eventually, finding he has already run his meager takings down, the bard shakes his head, gives up and walks unsteadily back to his lodgings.
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An elderly halfling woman approaches, pulling small cakes out of the many pockets in apron and offering them around. "Hello, hello, I'm Ida. You can call me Granny Ida, nobody does. Now I have plenty of cakes, but some of them are a bit special so always make sure to ask! I am a cook, but I've left my equipment for that in storage--it's too heavy for me to carry around. If one of you tallfolk is willing to carry it, I can cook for you while we're traveling!"
Nodding at the cakes, she indicates her bulging pockets. "Don't you worry, I'm very organized! None of those should explode. And here, take these biscuits! But don't eat them. They're for healing. And does anybody want any poison? If you want some poison, you just let me know."
She pats one of her pockets. It's not the same one she just took the healing biscuits out of... probably?
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A dour-looking man wearing a tabard that depicts the Pathfinder's Glyph of the Open Road quartered with the arms of Iomedae leans on a tall poleaxe which bears the sigil of a minor noble house. His gaze is steady and humorless.
"I am Dinardin, Dinardin of Longshadow. Why are we looking for Temel Passad here? He sent us on his behalf, did he not?"
Getting Started
The interior of the Silver Spoon Inn and Tavern is as elegant as the name would imply, featuring a black marble bar top and gilt chairs, freshly upholstered in rich leather. On opposite ends of the room are two polished ebony tables, one laden with decadent trays of charcuterie and cheese, while the other holds simple crusts of bread served on fine porcelain platters beside silver ewers of clear water. Finely dressed patrons mill about, drinking and gossiping, while a few individuals clad all in white stand aloof from the crowd. Venture-Captain Kristoff Valicho gestures for an employee to take over behind the bar before joining you at a corner booth. “Welcome to the Silver Spoon, friends! Since the Society helped pay off the loan, we’ve really been able to fix the place up right. Anyway, on to business. Establishing the Society’s position in Kerse has been slow going, especially with interference from the Aspis Consortium. You may be able to help change that, however, as an important potential ally has requested our assistance.”
He hands you a parcel...
“The wreck is a few hours’ walk from here up the coast. I have a horse and a small wagon ready for you, just in case you’re able to recover any of the cargo. Be careful, though. My contacts in the Mercenary League say their investigation of the wreck was cut short by a swarm of carnivorous undead that surged up from the water during a storm. I’m sure capable agents like yourselves can handle a few monsters, but with the number of creatures they reported, you should head inland before any such storm arrives.”
Pausing for questions...
Looking over the package, Lem will muse "Well now, this ally wants us to investigate the wreck and see if it was deliberate. Hmm"
"Venture-Captain, you mentioned the Aspis Consortium - do you think they are involved in this?"
"If there is involvement of foul play, and the Aspis Consortium were to be responsible, such a claim would need to be substantiated" is the answer, politic.
"As to my own thoughts? Well. I can't definitively rule it out" he smiles at Lem "But, on the other hand, swarms of carnivorous undead emerging from water is something that can happen from time to time..." his smile brightens a little at the subtle inferences that his tone and inflection seem to imply, answering Lem's question without really answering it!
"In either case, a lot of money is involved - see if you can recover the ingots - and if there are undead, deal with them - but don't overcommit yourselves. Use your judgement" he looks around, to see if any others have questions.
You would be able to recognize an Aspis Consortium badge on the spot!
Venture-Captain Kristoff Valicho nods, hands each of you a small bag with a provision, and gives one final "Warning - if there is foul play involved, it is best to watch your back!"
The PCs travel north along a trade road following the shore of Lake Encarthan toward Detmer. The road is well maintained and regularly patrolled by the Mercenary League to prevent any threats to the frequent trade caravans that pass through. The forest is thick enough to create difficult terrain and provide cover to creatures within...
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"Here, dear. Take this."
Nobody requested poisons, but Ida pushes a vial of graveroot on Fran all the same.
"Don't drink that! That's for your weapon. Wait. No. Yes, don't drink that one."
Ida watches for craft. Fran keeps a light step. Dinardin a heavy shield.
Lem keeps a lookout. His ambushers try their best to keep hidden until just the right moment!
He spots both ambushers just before the party walks into their choke point!
They immediately react to being spotted by pointing their shortsword-and-dagger blades halfling!
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They are brutish, and can react quickly and deadly with their blades!
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FOREST AMBUSH
Reactions: Unready (ambush)
Weapons: Assumed to be out (travel through wilds)
Recall Knowledge: Society vs Bandits (DC 16)
Special:
Fran
Red Bandit
Black Bandit
Ida
Lem
Dinardin w/ Defend
Fran runs the bandit through, to death. He slides forward on her blade limp, before being discarded onto the forest floor.
A third bandit springs from a bush! This one, it seems, much better at choosing her hiding spot. She shoots Fran! Then disappears back into the bushes...
A terrible shot. And yet, still thinking she is clever, it is plain as day where she has attempted to sneak up to - up close and personal with Fran, brandishing a kukri!
With a "F*!% this" Red Bandit books it the opposite direction!
◆◆◆) Stride x3
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FOREST AMBUSH
Reactions: Unready (ambush)
Weapons: Assumed to be out (travel through wilds)
Recall Knowledge: Society vs Bandits (DC 16)
Special: Crafting or Society check to Identify (◆) a specific item on her person - Ida gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the Craft check to identify this item (Investigate)!
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A badge, tucked under a vest, to mark her allegiance with the Aspis Consortium as one of their Field Agents!
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R1
Ida
Lem
Dinardin
R2
Fran
Third Bandit @ Observed with Cover (+2 AC)
Red Bandit Fled
Black Bandit Dead
◆ Recall knowledge
Lem will start a tune "Strike, strike, strike down the hidden bandit" ◆ (courageous anthem +1 to hit and damage for everyone this round)
and then let off an arrow at the third bandit
◆ for P
Lastly he'll call out "They'll cut you if you move near them"
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Dinardin rushes forward and threatens the bandit with his guisarme. "Hey," he says. "I've been where you are. Hungry, angry, got no place in society so why not take from the weak, yeah? It don't gotta be like this. We can help you. Drop the weapon and sit down. I'll see you get a meal and a new start. Think about it."
The gnomish woman surrenders, casting down her weapons.
"I value my life" she glances at someone in the party's wayfinder "You are duty-bound to spare me now" smug, even in defeat! "I will talk - but you must ask the right questions"
She is not bluffing. Her surrender is real.
"Glad you are seeing sense. Now who sent you to attack us?"
"I am a contractor" she replies evasively "And thereby sent myself"
She turns it around "Who sent you to this forest?" trying to bait the emphasis of whereabouts away from her own person and redirect it onto the group.
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"You were duty bound not to try to attack us in the first place. I see you trust our respectability more than your own."
Ida takes a small cake out of one of her pouches. "Here, have some cake. Now, I'm pretty sure that's not how contractors work. If you're here on a contract, then someone sent you. That's what the word means, I think."
"Oh, if anybody is hurt, I can... what? Nobody? Oh dear. This little ambush didn't go well at all."
It wasn't quite true. The mutagen Ida made for herself wasn't exactly a health drink, and it had hurt her--the cost one must pay for the benefits. But she can't heal that until it wears off anyway.
The gnome woman takes the cake - she looks hungry, and something about it looked ostensibly more seasoned than other cake. She reveals her badge "That's who contracted me"
"As to who sent me, well, let's just say it was a matter of !"
She looks down at the slain bandit by her side, still bleeding and spasming in death...
Lem just shakes his head sadly at the quip.
"Aspis Consortium then is it? So what's their interest in this?"
and depending on how evasive her answer is, Lem will say "Shall we pick her up when we get back?" with a sigh.
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"I promised her help," says Dinardin. "And she's gonna get it." He pulls a day's rations from his pack and hands it to the woman, along with a silver coin. "You made a smart choice a moment ago. You can make another one now. Take this food and this coin and go to the Pathfinder lodge. Tell 'em that Dinardin sent you. They'll give you work and food until I get back, when I'll find you somethin' permanent. You got my word on that."
"You're thinkin' that you'll rabbit as soon as we leave. Like I said, I been there. Just do yourself a favor and think again. Like I said, It don't gotta be like this. You can have a life. Okay, I said my peace. I hope to see you in town. Gotta go do a thing now." He looks at the gnome with sincere intensity for a moment, then stands, adjusts his pack and heads out.
The team decides to pick her up when they get back, but not before searching her for contraband, which they find. As well as a note “Stop the investigators. Hide our involvement.” She smirks as she is rewarded with freedom over death or detention "I can't say you won't regret this" and immediately flees back into the forest.
After another hour’s travel, the PCs arrive at a footpath leading down to the site of the wreck on the lake shore. A large gathering of undead creatures roam the shallows near the beached ship. Storm clouds loom not far up the coast...
Too many to fight, without a squadron of at least twice or thrice your current party's combat capabilities!
The storm is fast rolling this direction - you have perhaps a little more than a half an hour before it arrives with torrential rain and wind!
The party decides what to do...
Lem also looks at the scene with confusion. "We need to make our move but what should we do? Could we sneak in? Create a distraction?" and then thinking a bit more he will add "Anyone have any ideas why the undead are here?"
...bobbing in the water, floating mindlessly, several animated corpses pursue only their hunger, blind to finer discriminations of sense and feeling, unawares except for their sheer numbers...
...deciding not to take the direct approach, the party schemes a way on, using sneaky tricks and clever thinking...
The PCs might use: Stealth to sneak past the undead, Deception to pose as undead, Craft to improvise a raft, or Athletics to quickly swim to the ship.
Round One @ 0pts
Round Two @ 0pts
"Hey, I've got an idea...."
Lem sets about applying makeup and pulling on some old clothing which he tears artistically. "How about this zombie impression.... braaaaains"
and once the group finishes laughing he'll cast figment to add some oozing blood, and then stagger across the flats towards the boat.
The party mounts Ida's platform but it sinks...
Lem's applies makeup and swims up but it washes off - a couple animated corpses swim to follow him - he manages to circle back around to there he started...
Fran "tiptoes" through the water - a couple animated corpses swim to follow her - she manages to circle back around to where she started...
Dinardin waits for the undead to be distracted by Lem and Fran and then swims across to the ship as fast as he can.
...Dinardin swims quickly onto the boat. Waiting until the coast is clear, he gives the signal for the party to approach more slowly, which they are able to eventually do...
...looking around to see no less than creates lying around, some sealed, others cracked, other "guarded" by a small hoard of mindless undead, the party tries to make sense of the packing of the ship without alerting the undead passengers aboard...
The PCs might use: Perception to find cargo, Stealth to move quietly, or Sailing Lore or Mercantile Lore to know where cargo and documents are
usually stored on a trade ship.
Round One @ 2pts
Round Two @ 0pts
Round Three @ 0pts
Dinardin, an auditor of the highest degree(!?), locates the appropriate deck upon which certain crates bearing the most weight - those most likely to contain a (lost) shipment of steel ingots! - resides. He leads his party to the base of the ship, careful to observe multiple exits in case they are followed by the undead...
While he doesn't let many people know about it, Lem does knows when discretion is needed. He'll sneak below decks following Dinardin.
It's as if he was never there
Lem sneaks around another way - right past several walking dead, silent as a cat - and is able to observe the labels on the package. These are the crates the party is looking for. Fran is not far behind, and too can confirm as much...
...Ida locates another crate, away from the others, that might have easily been missed...
...There is so much loot to bring, but the party locates a dinghy or two. Now. Examining the water, a wave passes, and undead lurk around every corner...
The PCs might use: Athletics to carry heavy cargo, Perception to watch for approaching undead, Mercantile Lore or Labor lore to make logistical plan, or Nature to time departure with favorable conditions.
Round One @ 2pts
Round Two @ 6pts
Round Three @ 0pts
Round Four @ 0pts