Something approaching a smile came to Gul's face as she wiped the gremlin blood off her pata and resheathed the blade. "Inconspicuous. Of course." She said, dryly.
As she remains alert in her current surroundings, she angles her head to where she's speaking toward the others as they walk while keeping an eye out in front of her. "Careful. The 'Washside Wringers', as they are called, use this area mainly for a front. We do not want to attract unwanted attention. Also, keep one eye out for trouble and the other upon your coin purse. Let us make our way toward 'Professor Callivario's'. That might very well be the place we are looking for." She then continues on toward said destination.
"I am most certain that is not what we want."
Grom is left with his words just inside his mouth, as everybody immediately discards his idea and moves into other topics. He crosses his arms, offended. "But... that was exactly what I wanted..."
"With the name they've chosen, you don't need to be a sage to guess which is their territory" Grom grins. He dons his "inconspicuous" appearance, though - big strong half-orc with a huge weapon. He could be taken for any peasant going to the market to buy oranges. Who would suspect he's really a big strong half-orc...
...wait for it...
...with a huge weapon?
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Axton claps his hands in triumph and Grommush's astute plan.
"Yes! We will play to humanity's inherent racism! Let's go!"
"No. Let's not," Elana insist, completely serious and this time without a trace of hesitation. "Racism is a source of completely unnecessary hate and prejudice. We should instead try and see the beauty in those different from ourselves."
She regards everyone in turn from top to bottom, though seems to linger on Axton's mustache. "I mean, you're all... physically impressive. It would be shame if no one could see past that just because you were slightly green, right? So we shouldn't either, nor reinforce those beliefs. Though, I admit that we'll still stand out."
Something approaching a smile came to Gul's face as she wiped the gremlin blood off her pata and resheathed the blade. "Inconspicuous. Of course." She said, dryly.
"Yes... very inconspicuous. I gather we're the replacements for the recently deceased half-orc team, the Axefixers, but..." The priestress sighs and shakes her head, then starts whispering. "I wish she learned something from their unnecessary deaths, at least. Selecting a group like ours for a social stealth mission is roughly on the same level of gross incompetence as repeatedly sending a group that only has violence of solving things to the ruins of a magical mage tower. I heard they possibly recovered one member. As a frog. But they didn't know how to care for it so it died on the way back."
Elena grips her symbol of Shelyn tightly and warily regards the door Sheila left through. "She has a higher bodycount than any other venture captain. Many speculate she's actually a, Aspis spy working to destroy the Pathfinder Society from within. How she's maintained her position is... subject to a lot of debate back in Absalom. I really admire you all for being so calm in the face of all this!"
Frowning, she then turns back to you. "Wait... don't tell me you didn't know?"
"Wow, you know so much about the city! How long have you been here, exactly?" Elana asks Umazura. Seeing all the downtrodden, it was her first instinct to start a performance to take their minds off of their suffering. But... there seemed to be lingering hostile intent, and they really shouldn't attract more attention than necessary...
So instead, she carefully watches those approaching them as they looked for their contact.
"Wow, you know so much about the city! How long have you been here, exactly?" Elana asks Umazura. Seeing all the downtrodden, it was her first instinct to start a performance to take their minds off of their suffering. But... there seemed to be lingering hostile intent, and they really shouldn't attract more attention than necessary...
So instead, she carefully watches those approaching them as they looked for their contact.
"For a couple of weeks only. But when foretold of my coming here, I proceeded to do a great deal of research before leaving. I've also managed to do a bit more in my stay here. Between that and managing to overhear a conversation or two," she gives a wry grin, "you'd be amazed at what one can learn. It's a process but at the very least it keeps me from being completely blind."
Grom wonders for a bit how could it be that some are so against faked racism, at least on their end, while they seem less worried about the other end of the story or about something as indiscriminately killing, for example, some gremlins. Sometimes, society rules are hard to understand for him.
However, they have a job to be done, and he has yet to learn which things the group finds acceptable and which not, so he tries to put all his attention to it. "It seems we gonna learn a lot today..."
Passing under the banner reading “Professor Callivario’s Stupendous Exhibition of the Outrageous and Sublime," Axton leads the group to the bored carny near the lily pads and asks for the whereabouts of the Amazing Zograthy.
Grom wonders for a bit how could it be that some are so against faked racism, at least on their end, while they seem less worried about the other end of the story or about something as indiscriminately killing, for example, some gremlins. Sometimes, society rules are hard to understand for him.
However, they have a job to be done, and he has yet to learn which things the group finds acceptable and which not, so he tries to put all his attention to it. "It seems we gonna learn a lot today..."
"Let us hope so, Grom. Let us hope so."
By talking to one of the questionable carnies, a stooped old barker with a retching cough, you are quickly pointed to the abode of the Amazing Zograthy, Seer of the Dark, a small, well-patched tent crudely painted with mystical symbols and decorated with chicken bones and other oddments.
Within the stuffy, cluttered tent is a table covered in blue velvet stitched with moons, stars, and arcane symbols. A dusty crystal ball and a dog-eared harrow deck sit upon it. Behind this table sits an aged, bald, Varisian man with threadbare purple robes and piercing eyes—the
one and only Amazing Zograthy!
Upon your entrance, he gestures broadly and states in a tremulous voice, “The Amazing Zograthy sees all and knows all. A double fist of silver for a turn of the cards or a vision in the crystal; a treble fist of gold for the secrets of the multiverse.”
The prices may seem high for a streetside fortune—but that’s because Zograthy doesn’t recognize you.
Anyone who succeeds their check on Zograthy notices the telltale signs of pesh addiction.
What are you doing?
Smiling as she looks to the man curiously, "I can promise you we do not need to know the secrets of the multiverse, Amazing Zograthy. And if it is a 'double fist' of silver you wish, then that can be arranged. An odd way of requesting payment, if I do say so, but can be arranged nonetheless." She then removes two pieces of silver and puts one in each hand before closing them and making fists. Extending her fists out, "A 'double fist' of silver, as agreed," she offers, waiting for him to hold out his hands so she can drop the coin in.
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Partly mirroring Umazura, Elena puts two of her own silver pieces on the table. "This is not for your price of admission, but a gift from me. Find a doctor or priest and talk to them. As a healer, I know that excessive use leads to depression and various kinds of damage to your brain and ability to think. Please do not rob the world needlessly of someone with a craft as interesting as your own."
She looks at the man with a pleading and concerned expression.
Gul stood back, not seeing any reason to part with coin for something so little as vapid entertainment. She hoped the others could get their information without her charms.
Zograthy looks indifferent to both of you. "And what is it you wish to learn Milady?" He asks Umazura.
Ignoring Elena's earnest plea with the air of one long familiar to such words.
Setting the coin upon the table properly, "Axton, the floor is yours."
Axton sits down in the chair across from the Amazing Zograthy and leans forward eagerly.
"Well, since it's already been paid for, what do you see about me and my companions in your crystal ball?"
"It's 10 silver for a reading, so currently your future is dim." Zograthy responds, Unmoved by your antics.
"Of course."
Axton drops 8 more silver.
Gul rolled her eyes at the theatrics. Leaning over to Grom she muttered ”Bet you if we broke his fingers he’d have been talking by now.”
Zograthy gives you a vague and portentous reading, waving his hands over a cheap crystal ball, his eyes roll back in his head and he speaks of ominous dangers that await you.
He's making up a pile of s$+# to impress a mark. :)
What now?
Grom shrugs. "Who am I to dissent?"
For a moment Gul thought about doing just that, but then thought better of it. They had already decided, as a group, to go about this the nice way. She stood back, watching Zograthy put on a show, wondering what was going to happen.
Axton nods wide-eyed at the Amazing Zograthy's reading. He wonders if this Varisian, too, has lingering blood-ties to ancient Thassilon that allows such divination.
"Do any of your sources have any information on a Natalya..." Axton pauses to look at something written on his hand, "Vancaskerkin? A friend of hers has asked us to find her in case she is in trouble. And they told us that you knew her, so..."
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Just about to start asking herself, Elena is pleasantly surprised that Axton does eventually breach the subject of Natalya. She takes mental notes on what the fortune teller says about their immediate future, just in case.
"Okay... so expect to be stabbed in the back with a fork, turn left at the alley where a blind man reads Desna's commandments, still have half our gold stolen by noon and lose one of us to bad luck by nightfall. Well... that's bleak. Why do people ever come back to him? Or is there some truth to it? Surely he's called 'the magnificent' for a reason...?"
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"Do any of your sources have any information on a Natalya..." Axton pauses to look at something written on his hand, "Vancaskerkin? A friend of hers has asked us to find her in case she is in trouble. And they told us that you knew her, so..."
"Okay, maybe a little push, then..."
"...so we were hoping you would help us find her, before she comes to harm. I'm sure none of us want your name to be linked to your associates disappearing, would we?"
Her pleasant smile lingers on the man.
"You're the first person we've come to! I don't think anybody else is even looking for her! It should be very safe to tell us what you know."
"Ooh! Maybe one of your arcane auguries can tell us more!" Axton places 3 gold pieces on the table.
Zograthy leans back in his rickety chair and says, “Aaaah...
Secrets! Perhaps my greatest trade!” He then flatly demands a fee of 50gp.
However Elena's aura of niceness, backed up by Axton's mustache work their magic and he lowers the price to his minimum 15gp.
What now?
Zura chews on the inside of her lip in annoyance at the hack fortune teller, looking to him through narrowed eyes as if she's studying him. Can you read my mind, Not-so-amazing Zograthy? What we would like is information and information that just so happens to be TRUE unlike most of anything else you say I would gather. And, please, no more of these so-called 'visions' you fraudulent, amazing-LESS, mountebank.
Zura finds herself reluctant to hand over any form of coin to this hack, but she also knows they will for surely learn nothing if they do not. "I am curious, Zograthy, how reliable is your information regarding my companions questions?"
Zograthy smirks a little. Answering Umazura a lot more to the point, "People expect vague, ominous tripe when getting their fortune told. People getting vague information tend to return and express their displeasure violently. You also don't get many repeat customers if you're not selling the real deal!"
As she holds the man's gaze as he speaks, Far more intelligent than skilled, I'll give you that. But I guess that's what it WOULD take to survive here as long as you have. She then reaches into her coin pouch and removes the proper amount of gold. Handing it over, "Now... what can you tell us?"
If asked about anything related to Natalya Vancaskerkin, Zograthy knows nothing about any supposed “discovery” she may have made, but he does confirm that she hasn’t been heard from among the Sczarni.
Zograthy adds that many folk along the waterfront, both here in Beacon’s Point and over in Dockway and Underbridge, have been disappearing of late—a few each week, in fact, with many simply
vanishing out of their very beds at night.
He suspects that Natalya is among those who have disappeared in this manner, and bitterly adds that as long as only poor Varisians and other destitute folk are being targeted, the chances of the city doing anything about the disappearances is nil.
He does know that it’s not a Sczarni plot—indeed, the Sczarni seem quite interested in solving the vanishings themselves, but are not seeking aid in that effort. If anything, it’s harder to contact actual Sczarni leaders these days than it is normally.
The leading theory on the street is that the vanished folk are the victims of slavers who then secretly sell them offshore at night to Nidalese ships—but Zograthy doesn’t put much stock in such rumors.
He then coughs meaningfully and holds out his hand. You get the hint and place 1 gold in his palm.
He adds that Natalya was, at least until recently, a member of a Sczarni gang known as the Tower Girls, a group of cat burglars. They are themselves searching for Natalya, and word is that when they find her, she’ll be in deep trouble.
He doesn’t know exactly what is going on with them but has heard them say that Natalya went mad before her disappearance. Attempts to learn of the location of the Tower Girls or other Sczarni receive only a cold stare in response—such information is not suitable for sharing with gorgios. .
What now? You have two more leads to chase down. The Nidalese slavers, or checking with the city watch at the Arvensoar building.
"You guys start where you want - I don't mind waiting. But if there are indeed slavers involved" Grom says while cracking his knuckles, "I swear I'm gonna stick my sword up their defecation conduct."
Gul raised an eyebrow at Grom. Then with a smirk she said "We should go see the slavers first, then."
"Agreed!" He glances over at Gul. "But for different reasons."
"Um, Grommush... how do we find and approach any slavers? Without becoming slavees."
"You go and talk to them." Grom doesn't understand the question. "Inconspicuously, if you will" he quickly adds, proud of his idea.
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Even the mere mention of slavers makes the muscles in Elana's face contract and her posture go rigid.
"If we absolutely must, we could go by what we know. If they're slavers, they make their money *selling* the slaves. Until the sale, the act of capturing and then keeping them alive only costs them. So that leaves two options: we can either approach them at their known selling point in the city, pretending we're buyers, or we look for a place where they can hold large groups of slaves before getting them out of here easily. And that would probably be in the harbor," Elena reasons.
She then tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and blushes as she realises two rather important gaps in her knowledge. "Um... actually, does anyone know if they do have a set selling point? And is slavery even legal here in Magnimar? I confess I only just arrived here..."
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Grom keeps noting down things mentally. He truly wishes to belong, but these social interactions seem intricate and hard to learn.
"Pretending to be ruffians, bad. Pretending to be slavers, good. Buy tomato sauce for dinner. Killing defenseless Gremlins, good."
His mind then flies towards the sausages he's going to have for dinner, with tomato sauce and a mug of beer.
"Man, I'm craving for dinner..."
Axton claps his hands in enthusiasm.
"This is great! We're working together, sharing our knowledge and using our diverse perspectives to form a cohesive plan of action!" He points to the Amazing Zograthy. "You only shared your information in exchange for gold, but I still appreciate your contribution!"
"Now, the way I see it, if the slavers are primarily collecting people who are poor and destitute, then others who are poor and destitute should be willing to divulge things such as where the missing are kept and where they are sold. Perhaps that's the harbor, or perhaps that's some place more specific such as Underbridge. Scary place, Gul should love it."
"Well I don't know enough about Magnimar to know where the missing are kept or sold so I will trust your judgement on that, Axton. And I believe your idea, Elena, has potential but the only issue that concerns me is: how much does it actually cost to purchase a slave." She then looks around at the others, pondering a possible outcome of the slaver meeting especially when she looks upon Grom and Gul. "Orrr, maybe we should check in with the city guard first, just to see if they can help us in any way. Odds are they would be far more willing to speak with us without it costing us a great deal of coin. And after that, we can then proceed to meet with the slavers; hopefully with that extra bit of information from said guards. Thoughts?"
Amidst the blank looks and obvious attempts to scam money out of you there is a rumor that that a pickup for one of these slave runs has been scheduled for this very midnight at an old, boarded-up shoreline tavern in Dockway. The tavern was once known as the Puffy Pelican—a faded painting of a fat pelican still graces the facade of the empty building, and the building’s back features a half-collapsed wooden deck that hangs over the high-tide mark. A preliminary investigation of the building during the day reveals nothing out of the ordinary—the tavern truly looks abandoned, and bears no signs of having been used recently.
What ya doing?
Tapping her chin in thought a moment, she pauses as a thought just occurred to her. "You know, as I just now recollect, I did overhear a rumor - a rumor you would've thought they'd have been a bit quieter about. Anyway, I digress - a rumor that there is a slave run scheduled tonight at some abandon tavern in... Dockway? I believe was the location overheard? Apparently it was once called, 'The Puffy Pelican'. We will know it by a painting of an overweight pelican that graces the facade of the building. And interestingly enough, now that I mention it, I believe I remember seeing that tavern about a week or so before we were called in when I was out and about. I do seem to remember the painting - albeit vaguely - and if that was the case, the building it resided upon did not appear to have been in use for quite some time."
"Should we make an appearance? This does appear to be the perfect opportunity."
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Elana stares at Umazura. "You know, if being a pathfinder ever doesn't work out for you, I'm sure you could make a decent living as a fortune teller yourself!"
She nods, pleased with this information. "I don't mind going either way first. But with the other wanting the slaver's first the guards have already lost majority. And to be honest..."
She taps her spear and grins at Grommush. "There's very little of beauty in a life locked in chains. I'm all for 'persuading' the slaver's to stop that while we're there."
When he realises they're talking about him, Grom shrugs. "As I said before, I can wait until you do your fake talking and else to extract information" he concedes. "I have to admit they usually talk more while they're alive."
Elana stares at Umazura. "You know, if being a pathfinder ever doesn't work out for you, I'm sure you could make a decent living as a fortune teller yourself!"
Umazura lets out a pleasant laugh. "Oh no, not me, Elena. I'll leave that to the likes of the Zograthy's of the world. They are far better suited for such than myself. But thank you for the compliment." She nods.