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At the Glaresight Inn, you find the proprietor, a talkative half-elf named Antos Raul. When you ask about Drandle Dreng, he asks to see your wayfinders so that he can verify your membership in the Society. When a couple of you show him, he tells you of Dreng’s last known stakeout location: a small open area amid the otherwise crowded district known as the Quiets. He also informs you that while Dreng will be in disguise, he’s picked a way to help agents identify him; the fingers of his right glove are coated in alchemical silver.
You make your way to the Quiets to find your Venture Captain. The buildings in the section of Shadow Absalom where Dreng is working are densely packed. Large animals and groups make it difficult to wind your way through the narrow streets. By the time you arrive, most of the buildings in this area are unoccupied, with their residents out performing their daily routines, though the streets remain full. This particular part of the Quiets, however, seems strangely … quiet.
You finally spot a person wearing a glove of alchemical silver in the area you were told of. However, this person is clearly a fetchling. Or perhaps it’s a human in an excellent disguise? The fetchling appears to be waiting for someone or something, just minding his own business leaning against a wall.
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The fetchling is clearly wary of you and obviously confused by the approaching monk’s strange comment. He does not speak in reply. Instead he repeatedly flashes the Pathfinder hand sign for “retreat” to silently tell you to leave.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, you’ve spoiled his stake out with your ham-handed approach. Four obviously hostile fetchlings enter the square and attempt to encircle you and Fetchling Dreng. Your Venture Captain says something to the new arrivals in an unfamiliar language, and then quickly disappears into the building behind him, leaving you to face the angry and armed newcomers.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Bedisa
Blue
Bon Jon
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Grunjar casts Bless on the party, then he moves straight forward and draws his warhammer in the process.
"What do you want? Go away and leave us alone!"
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One of the fetchlings moves into the square seeking to engage. All of them wear nice chainmail beneath dark robes and carry a steel shield. They wield flails, and the one in the bright Orange boots responds to Grunjar’s demand by attempting to disarm him of his warhammer.
He appears quite skilled at this maneuver, and the mighty cleric doesn’t get a chance to retaliate as his hammer is suddenly twisted from his grip, falling to the ground with a loud clang!
The fetchling in the dark Green robes hustles across the square and simply attacks Bon Jon Jovi as the monk doesn’t appear to be holding any weapons at the moment.
His attack misses, just barely, though.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Bedisa
Blue
Bon Jon
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Suussmaar’s shot misses the Green-robed fetchling by a hair. The aasimar thinks that if he’d been more concerned about accuracy over damage, he might have hit. Elenial struggles to pick out her target’s form in the shifting shadows, and her shot also misses.
A fetchling wearing a blood-Red bandana rushes toward Bedisa. Since she too has no readied weapon, he seeks to simply subdue the half-orc.
The last of the fetchlings to act, the one in the midnight Blue robes trots past Grunjar to engage Suussmaar. This one seems to be wearing some very nice gauntlets, as she attempts to wrest the assimar’s bow from his grip.
Suussmaar’s bow falls to the ground with a clatter.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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Bedisa feels the fetchling slam into her. "Ooph! What'd I do to deserve that?"
She feels the power of her ancestors take over her body. 'Not again.'. . Her eyes turn white and she is no longer in control of her actions.
Her ancestors move her arms towards her sword, drawing it. An eerie voice comes out of Bedisa's mouth. "You'll regret that, fetchling."
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Grunjar tries to cast daylight on a sling bullet - defensively, denying his opponent any AoO.
"Let there be LIGHT!"
He then draws his battleaxe and steps away from his opponent.
After that he drops drops the daylight bullet to the ground.
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Grunjar chases the shadows away. He remembers that Elenial said that the light from his spell wouldn’t be as strong as it normally would, but it’s certainly sufficient for this purpose. Bedisa is overcome by rage, but her ancestor fails to assist her enough to hit the fetchling. Bon Jon's opponent just barely shakes off the monk's attempt to stun him, but the two punches to his scrawny dark face connect!
Green returns the favor by dodging and weaving around Bon Jon before swinging his flail at him again.
But being that close to the scary sounding Bedisa throws off his aim.
Orange follows Gunjar and again tries to relieve the cleric of his new weapon.
And the battleaxe joins the warhammer on the ground.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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Bon Jon tries to hit the fetchling, but it bobs and weaves away from his strike.
Elenial puts an arrow right through the Green robed fetchling’s shoulder, but her second shot just barely misses.
Suussmaar bends down to pick up his bow, and the fetchling swats his hands with her flail as he does so.
Bow back in hand, the warpriest’s attack strikes true, and the Green robed fetchling drops to the ground.
The Blue-garbed attacker steps forward to swat at Suussmaar’s bow again.
The Red bandanna clad fetchling steps toward the wall and tries the same trick on Bedisa, now that she’s got a weapon to aim for.
Both Suussmaar and Bedisa drop their weapons; Suussmaar seems especially unhappy about it happening a second time, too.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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Grunjar draws another weapon - this time his morningstar - and steps towards Bon Jon Bovi.
He gently taps him on the back while uttering a few words.
"Госпожа Удача, благослови его, пожалуйста, и пусть он ударит!"
For the next round, any time the target rolls a d20, he may roll twice and take the more favorable result.
You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Rolling the D20 twice is applicable to:
saving throws, attack rolls, crit confirmation rolls, skill checks, ability checks, concentration and caster level checks
(list may be incomplete)
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The Red-faced fetchling swats Bedisa’s big hands as she reaches for her greatsword…
But the scary voice emanating from Bedisa throws him off.
In turn, the angry half-orc dutifully strikes back, putting a nice gash across her opponent’s belly.
Meanwhile, Bon Jon and Grunjar set up a combo-buffing to make the monk luckier. His twin attacks easily hit, though.
The fetchling is stunned and disoriented by Bon Jon’s powerful attack, and her flail falls to her feet in a cruel mockery of her own tactics.
Orange doesn’t like that Grunjar has yet another weapon, and tries to deny him use of it again. Where does he keep getting these things from? he thinks to himself as he tries to tangle up the cleric’s morningstar.
And another weapon joins its fellows on the ground!
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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The archers pepper the fetchling as if he was standing still. Which he was until he drops to the ground and begins bleeding out.
Red says something to Orange in their unusual language as he again tries to disarm Bedisa,
As her greatsword clangs upon the stone, he bolts away. Halfway across the square, he drops something on the ground. It appears to be about the size of a sword and is wrapped in cloth and tied with a black ribbon.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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Bon Jon’s target shakes off the attempt to stun him, but the blow certainly hurt.
”What is wrong with you people?” he screams at the monk. ”Take the stupid sword and leave us be. You’re literally just killing the messengers.” He doesn’t seem inclined to “surrender” nor to fight, since he’s already dropped the one thing he thinks you’re after.
Orange makes another attempt to disarm Grunjar…
And as the cleric’s starknife hits the ground, the fetchling is already fleeing into the alleyways.
Bold May Act
The Spoiled Stakeout
Grunjar
Orange
Green
Elenial
Suussmaar
Red
Blue
Bedisa
Bon Jon
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The fetchling that you recognized earlier as Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng emerges from his hiding place and strides into the square. He picks up the wrapped bundle that Red dropped and calls out to you. ”Leave them be! They’re just the delivery service.”
As he turns and carries the sword into one of the buildings facing the square, he calls back over his shoulder, ”Follow me. And bring those bodies in here. I don’t need any more trouble with the guard than you’ve already doubtlessly caused.”
Once inside the small office, he dresses you down for spoiling his stakeout and the exchange that was just about to happen. He vents on you for your undiplomatic and imperceptive approach to basic espionage fieldwork before taking a deep breath and taking a seat.
”Now then, why don’t see what you can get off those bodies while you tell me why you’re here.”
Each of the two dead fetchlings have a potion of cure moderate wounds, masterwork chainmail, a masterwork heavy steel shield, and a masterwork light flail.
He listens with keen interest as you brief him about the notes you got from the Decemvirate and the missing Blakros artifacts.
”Hmmm, yes, that makes a lot of sense. Well, as you can see, this is item number one on that list,” he says as he lays the Crusader’s Blade on the dining table. ”I was in the middle of a sensitive negotiation to obtain it from the Onyx Alliance. That team,” he waves at the two stripped down fetchlings on the floor, ”were intermediaries. Messengers delivering the Blade to me so that the Alliance could maintain plausible deniability.”
He lays a piece of paper on the table, then pats his robes as if looking for another. ”Huh. Eh, whatever. Alright, I happen to know where one of the items you’re looking for is. I’m pretty sure I know where one other is, and I’m closing in on a deal for the third.”
He stops patting his clothes having given up on finding whatever it was he’d lost and pushes the paper across the table to you. You can tell it’s a simple map of the city, and some notes about the wax golem.
”Go get the wax golem. It’s in the Soul Stalls just past the city’s western wall. Even though the goofy golem is dressed up as a Linnorm King and going by the name of Fahrstad, it seems that a night hag is in the process of selling it to interested parties in the market. Get out there and stop the exchange. Then come back here. I should be able to point you to the other two artifacts by then.”
He glances down at the dead fetchlings on the floor. ”And maybe try talking to the hag first.”
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The Soul Stalls are an outlandish marketplace outside Shadow Absalom’s city walls. A sizable population of night hags dwell within the area, peddling wares obtained from across the planes in exchange for interesting or powerful souls, magic items, or even more valuable things. None of the hags are even remotely hostile, though several call out to you to come in and have a look at their offerings.
According to Dreng’s notes, the stall where the wax golem resides belongs to Valryss, and you’re easily able to locate it. You find it stocked with a wide variety of esoteric items on display including magic potions, an assortment of wands, and even a few magic weapons and miscellaneous wondrous items.
Along with all the objects inside Valryss’s stall, a hulking Ulfen man with waxy skin, bedecked in fur pelts and brandishing a vicious greataxe, patrols the area. This is the sentient wax golem reproduction of the long-dead King Fahrstad. It sizes you up as you approach, clearly acting as some sort of bodyguard or bouncer for the night hag, Valryss.
”Hello, hello, come right in,” Valryss greets you enthusiastically. "What can I interest you in?”
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Bedisa thanks Grunjar with a bow.
Looking around, she doesn't look comfortable. "No one should be selling or trading souls," she mutters to herself.
When they walk in to the stall and see the wax golem, Bedisa looks amused. "Aha! What is a Ulfen man doing here?". Her laugh is contagious. "Well, we're here to speak with Valryss. Is she in?"
”Oh, yes, dearie. I’m Valryss,” the hag replies clearly already warming up to Bedisa.
”Oh, him, yes,” she says with a roll of her eyes and a slight hint of exasperation in her voice. ”I acquired his services, but I’d be happy to let you have him for a song. Well, not an actual song, of course,” she says with a cackling laugh. ”The Soul Stall merchants got our names honestly. The price for the golem is a measly single humanoid soul.”
She goes on to point out how unique he is and how truly fearsome he can be as a companion and guard. At the later comment, Fahrstad grunts gruffly and asks Valryss when she will show him where the linorn lives that she promised to let him slay. She ignores him, and instead explains to you that she wouldn’t even want payment now. ”You can take him today, and I can wait until you’re done using your soul before I collect. We’ll have a contract devil that works here in the Stalls write up a promissory agreement. I mean, it’s not like you’ll be using your soul after you die anyway,” she pitches.
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Suussmaar seems to be disgusted.
“This is a foul place! Ragathiel give me strength!“ he whispers.
He steps forward.
“Well, it is unbelievable that you really want to trade a soul for this being that clearly does not have a soul! You should be glad that we take this being because one day it could definitely turn against you!“
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Bedisa watches the hag closely. "A soul? Look at the condition he is in though. This 'wax golem' is not worth a soul!". She's attempting to barter with the hag. "Maybe some gold or some precious items. But not a soul.". Bedisa is definitely uncomfortable with the talk of selling souls but tries to hide it.
She eyes up the golem. "How do I know he wont fall apart the minute I walk out the door? I would like to see some papers of authenticity, please."
"And if its a soul you want," Bedisa begins to turn around, "we might take our business elsewhere. But we can pay you handsomely... in gold."
”Turn on me, oh, no…. I don’t think…. “ Valryss begins to rebut Suussmaar’s assertion, but then stops and peers more closely at the fur-draped golem. ”The redhead has a point. That is what I would do in its place….”
She slowly turns her attention to Bon Jon’s koans and adages, tapping her long scraggly fingernail to the tip of her warty nose as she listens. Grunjar is pretty sure that she’s a little tired of having the golem around. He suspects that Fahrstad’s gruff attitude and single-minded fixation on killing a linorn may be chasing potential customers away.
When Bon Jon and Bedisa finish their pitches, the night hag invites Bedisa further into the shop to talk more privately. She leans a hip on a small table toward the back of the cramped space and gives the surprisingly charming half-orc a smile.
”Alright, dearie, I’m gonna level with you. I just want to get rid of him. You and your friends make some good points. He might turn on me, I don’t have any papers to show where I got him, and he is pretty ratty lookin’, ain’t he? Here’s what I’ll do. You take him, no charge. Tell him you know where there’s a linorn back on the Material Plane, or take him with you on your errands. I don’t care, but he’s yours now,” she finishes with a sigh of relief. She then whispers to Bedisa, ”We had to do this inside, cause I can’t let the other hags know I didn’t get anything for him. They’ll think I’m going soft.”
Valryss gently takes Bedisa’s arm and guides her back out to the front where she addresses the golem. ”Oh, great King Fahrstad,” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm at the title, though the golem seems to not notice in the slightest. ”These fine folks will aid you in your quest. Go with them now. You are released from my service.”
The golem looks at Bedisa expectantly waiting further instructions or directions to the nearest linorn.