After a quick confab it's decided to take Gorm up on his offer of the scroll of Heal, which Maldlethu eagerly takes custody of. You bid the sage dwarf and the bemusing lizardfolk farewell for now and move to speak with Eando Kline next.
Even among this crowd, Eando Kline is a bit of a stand-out and not just due to his distinctive chin-strap beard. Tall and stern-faced, Kline seems to radiate an aura that is detached and somewhat world-weary. You find him still engaged in conversation with Ambrus Valsin over by the dessert table.
"As I was saying, it would simply be more efficient if we assembled all the Initiates for larger, rigorously structured training courses, rather than the free-wheeling approach some of the others seem to take," Valsin remarks, nodding particularly towards Calisro Benarry as he does. "And then we have the entire class available to task with getting some real work done around this place."
Kline shakes his head, his expression dubious. "Hrm. You have a point but too much structure could be almost as bad as too little. We don't need the initiates to feel like we're breathing down their necks, especially if we want them to start making their own judgement calls out in the field-ah!"
He pauses mid-sentence as you approach and nods curtly; Valsin also turns and does the same. "Initiates. Enjoying the party, are you?"
Kline glances over at Valsin and then back at you, almost as if desperate for a change in subject or distraction.
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"Oh yeah, this is a great party. Sometimes you gotta loosen up a bit and cut loose." She smiles, reads the tension and turns to Ambrus Valsin.
"Hey Valsin. Wanna arm wrestle?" She flexes her biceps. "Training goes a bit easier when you're having fun at the same time. Something mom taught me."
Salera raises a curious eyebrow and shrugs. She calls this fun?
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"Party is ok, food is way better!" Bubba steps between Eando and the food table, stacking cookies on one hand as tall as he can get it. He pays close attention to the shape and fit of the cookies, almost like he's loading stuff into storage. "Gotta make everythin' fit just right else they'll give ya a good whippin'!" He mutters.
Unfortunately the stack quickly tumbles to the floor and Bubba looks up and winces "I got it, sorry." And crawls under the table to hide and eat cookies.
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Maldlethu sniffs disdainfully. "Surely you are aware that such rigid training methods are hardly suitable to handle any unexpected surprises that may pop up. Besides, it should be obvious that a magical solution to any given problem will be more effective than a..." He shivers. "...mundane one."
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"You know, you could mix the two approaches. Put the trainees and some instructors on Cap'n Benarry's ship. Then they're all getting the same training in one place, but with the 'free-wheeling' nature that being at sea requires."
Seeing her idea met with stony faces, Jirelle picks up a cookie from the floor and then "helps" Bubba look for any that got away.
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"You know, you could mix the two approaches. Put the trainees and some instructors on Cap'n Benarry's ship. Then they're all getting the same training in one place, but with the 'free-wheeling' nature that being at sea requires."
[dice=Sailing Lore ]d20+3
Seeing her idea met with stony faces, Jirelle picks up a cookie from the floor and then "helps" Bubba look for any that got away.
"Eat this one, has soft squishy things in it." Bubba hands over an oatmeal raisin cookie, clearly wanting no part of it.
"Not much into parties," Ezren mutters under his breath but his ears perk up when he hears Jirelle pipe up. "Many merchants make their living upon the seas. Certainly a good way to bring revenue to the Society, not to mention the usefulness of sailing under a charter...if you wanted to draw attention away from your true intentions..."
Valsin blinks with surprise as Swayaah challenges him to a friendly arm-wrestling game but then suddenly shakes his head and laughs. "Hah! I supposed there's merit to that. Work hard, play hard, yes?"
He's about to say more but is interrupted by the shower of cookies that go tumbling down to the floor, courtesy of Bubba.
"Some people still put too much emphasis on the 'play' part though," he mutters.
"Magic certainly has uses but it can't solve everything," Valsin then answers Maldlethu with a rather disdain look of his own. "What if you find yourself without access to it? Unable to cast? Then what do you do? No, it's pure foolishness to rely solely on magic for every solution."
Valsin gestures to Pawero. "He brings up smithing. Some do incorporate magic into their wares, once they're completed, but the work to forge them still has to be done manually, doesn't it?"
It almost seems as though you've managed to get Valsin off on a new topic of conversation...but then when Jirelle and Ezren offer their thoughts about training at sea, his expression does indeed go rather stony. "Sailing is work, I'll grant you that, but I don't believe that what works best at sea is what would work best for our initiates...who nearly always conduct their missions on land, I might point out."
"Yes, you've pointed that out before," Kline sighs, resigned to being unable to escape this particular conversation. "But I should point out that at least some of the initiates appear ready to do the sort of real work you're talking about."
He turns to the lot of you. "Word's gotten around that some smugglers were recently using one of the exposed ships out in the Flotsam Graveyard, bringing in things from Nex. Including creatures, because apparently one of their 'goods' managed to break free and they've been looking for someone to help them recapture it."
"Personally, I'm not keen on letting a bunch of smugglers take possession of their missing 'cargo' again - whatever the creature is, it's likely to either be a slave or a menace to society," Kline continues. "Head out there and see if you can find this creature and learn more about it. Then decide what should be done with it. You'll be much better poised to make that call than some uninformed central authority."
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There's a moment of awkward silence and then Valsin suddenly coughs.
"Hrm...I apologize if I'm coming across harshly. Calisro and I may not always see eye-to-eye but I know that she has the best of intentions when it comes to training initiates and she does get good results with her methods. I'd do well to remember that. In fact, I'll go speak with her now about your suggestion," he says, nodding at Jirelle before heading off to do just that.
Kline watches Valsin go and then smiles slightly. "Looks like you're better at schmoozing than I was giving you credit for. Anyone got a piece of parchment and a quill?"
He scribbles on said parchment for a few moments before handing it over to Swayaah. "My contacts, so to speak. They're who I go to when I need to get the current scoop on what's happening around the city. If you need information, find them and drop my name - they'll tell you what you need to know."
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Having spoken to everyone else, there's only one faction leader left to introduce yourselves to - Fola Barun, leader of the Envoy's Alliance. As you approach her you find her still engaged in conversation with Kreighton Shane...though once you get within earshot you realize that he's the one doing all the talking.
Shane holds a strangely twisted scrap of pale blue paper, covered in characters in multiple languages, as well as a series of tiny black and white squares. "I feel I’ve almost got it, with just a few pieces left to complete," you catch him remarking to Fola. "I’ve filled in many of the white squares that go across, and nearly all the ones that go down, but the inverse order of the letter sequencing rotation makes filling out the last bit devilishly tricky. But won’t it be a fine thing when we’ve completed it!"
"Oh of course...but are you sure I'm the best one to ask, Master Shane?" Fola replies, her smile genuine but also a bit uncertain. "Sorrina has a better head for such things...oh, or perhaps Janira? I thought I saw her around here somewhere."
As she spots the group of you approaching, Fola's smile widens to one true warmth and friendliness. "Oh, you must be new Pathfinders! Hello, I'm Fola Barun, head of the Envoy's Alliance. We're the faction who is dedicated to helping other Pathfinders, providing them the resources and materials they need to succeed!"
"Please, don't be shy - come say hello and tell us a little about yourselves," she beckons. "Master Shane and I always enjoy meeting new initiates - isn't that right?"
Shane nods absent-mindedly, still focused on his puzzle.
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Jirelle peeks over Master Shane's shoulder at the puzzle he seems so intent on.
"Sir, I think you could put 'jambo' in that set of squares. It's a general Mwangi greeting, equal to 'hello.' But if you use the Bonuwat people's character set, the symbol for the 'ja' syllable is nearly identical to what you've got there in that box already."
Seeing her compatriots' looks at the swashbuckler's surprising show of mental prowess, she shrugs. "What? It's a common word."
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Pawero observes the puzzle in silence for a while. Finally, he speaks, "I believe that what you need to solve the riddle here and here are..." He drones on academically, restraining himself from taking the folded paper out of the Master's hands to finish the work himself. "And if you fold here, it then makes..."
Ezren leans over Shane's other shoulder nodding in response to Pawero's words here, "Fold that piece up there...no wait, not that way, reverse it 90 degrees..."
Or is it supposed to be reversed and then flipped? darn my eyesight ain't what it used to be...
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"Oh, sweet dreams are made of these..." Swayaah mumbles as she reads and memorizes Kline's list of contacts. "This is going to help, a lot. Thanks!"
Okay, more elves. This one has some flower power.
"Hey Fola Braun. Oh, it's Kreighton Shane. What's he looking at?"
"Is that a... Baxter's Box?" Swayaah soon distracts herself in trying to solve this mystery, rather than helping Shane.
Fola chuckles as several of you prove more interested in helping Shane solve his little puzzle than in conversing, at least initially. "See? I told you there were people here much better suited to helping you with this than I am," she cheekily points out.
"A Baxter's Box? Oh no, but modeled somewhat off of one I think," Shane answers Swayaah absently. "You think it's supposed to be folded this way?" he remarks to Ezren, trying it but quickly deducing that this isn't the way forward. "No, no, that won't work either, hmm..."
Pawero and Jirelle have much better luck, however. "Ah...ah! I see it now, yes, 'jambo' fits here perfectly," Shane suddenly exclaims, eagerly writing in Jirelle's suggested word. "Now it's all beginning to fall into place! Let's see, fold here, turn it 90 degrees this way and then reverse it...and then you, you said to fold it here and then flip it upside down...?"
After a few minutes, the little puzzle Shane had been working on is completed...somehow ending up look more like a piece of origami art than anything else. But the Master of Spells is clearly quite pleased with the results.
"Wonderful, just wonderful! Oh, I need to go show this to Urwal, he always likes looking at these sorts of things. Thank you for your help, initiates!"
Shane charges off into the crowd and disappears, leaving you with Fola Barun's attention all to yourselves.
"Ah, I'm glad you helped him figure it out," the half-elf grins. "If it had been me, we'd have been here all night!"
"Now, while I do believe that most situations can best be resolved with the spoken word, I also understand that sometimes actions need to accompany those words. I have a task for you that will send you to Westgate," Fola explains, her expression growing rather somber. "With help from our legal team, I have received permission to restore one of our own who was petrified during the Charge of the Gorgon. I would like you to take this greater salve of antiparalysis to use for that purpose and only that purpose."
She hands over said salve to Pawero and then adds, "Oh, and as a reminder that words are frequently preferable over violence, please take this as well." The Envoy's Alliance leader then hands over another small vial. "Do you have any questions?"
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"Ah yes, that would help, wouldn't it?" Fola responds a bit sheepishly. "The agent in question is an elven woman named Jacinth, dressed as though she's just been or is about to go on safari. You see, she was caught smuggling an Azlanti relic into the city as part of a mission she was carrying out for us. And since her association with the Pathfinder Society is ultimately the reason she suffered such a fate, I feel that it's only right that the Pathfinder Society also take responsibility in getting her restored."
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Swayaah and Salera's ears perk up when they heard about a petrified Pathfinder. Even better, Pawero asked about the agent's identity for them. Maybe it's Jiggo...?
No, it's not. Salera's interest disappears as she finally starts gorging on the buffet tray. Swayaah remains professional. "So we go to the statue, use this salve and bring her back. Got it... What's the catch? Let me guess: some automaton patrols that statue to enforce punishment? We need to pass a trickster's riddle to apply the salve? The district is full of werewolves?" Swayaah belts out a couple of guesses.
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Bubba barely has time to drag himself out from under the table of cookies before Shane runs off into the crowd "Huh, looks like he's making his way to the outhouse, stay away from whatever he was eatin'." He wipes off his hands and offers up a handshake to Fola.
"Name's Bubba Hotep of Osiriani. Good ta metcha." He nods, listening to the task. "Relic smugglers huh.. not a fan really. Always breaking into our store rooms and making a huge mess!" He raises an eyebrow, not quite sure he's interested in freeing someone like that.
"Yes, that," Fola agrees with Pawero. "And...a catch? The only thing I can think of is that there might be some citizens who disapprove of someone getting a 'pardon' from existence as a statue. Hopefully not, but...well, you never know. So be on your guard, just in case."
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After having done a bit of schmoozing and rubbing elbows with Society leadership your little group has not only made several favorable impressions but you've even been given - for some of you - your first assignments as Pathfinder agents. Now the only real question is which to tackle first?
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Jirelle considers the time of day and a general layout of Absalom.
"We could work our way around the city clockwise. Petals district first, then spend the night in the 'haunted mansion.' Get up in the morning, grab some grub, and I'll take you lubbers out for a row to the Flotsam Graveyard, then finish up in Westgate just ashore from the western piers."
Unless someone's got a better plan," she adds a little hesitantly.
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"Sounds good to me." Swayaah shrugs and stops her mom from eating too much. Obviously she's upset. "This was never going to be easy. But it will be honest."
Salera pauses and keeps her hands in check before taking a deep breath.
"So, Petals district." Swayaah turns to her allies. "I'm gonna ask Gorm if he knows more about it."
"Whichever place is closest works for me," Ezren grunts as he leans against a tree, "These old bones of mine aren't what they used to be!"
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"Sounds good, I'm getting pretty stuffed. Maybe we could swing back here after for a refill though?" He pockets a couple meat pies just in case, winking at Ezren and Salera, stuffing one in their pockets too once Swayaah heads off. "Gotta keep them calories up if we're gonna be wandering around this giant city."
He hoists his oversized staff up on a shoulder and clears a path through towards the exit. "Let's do THIS!"
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Maldlethu looks a bit peeved that the group doesn't immediately want to see what sorts of possible magic this researcher's ritual might be using, but with his voice still sore from trying to enlighten and educate Society leadership he merely grumbles under his breath all the way to the Petal's district.
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"Did I ever tell you guys the time I ate my weight in oranges?" He grins and groans at the same time over the memory. Yes Mother, I DIDN'T eat the rinds... who eats the rinds on an orange?
"You'd think all them oranges would be good for ya, but lemme tell you I was laid up in the latrine for most a week. But at least it smelt orangy fresh when I was done."
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Jirelle tips her hat to Cap'n Benarry as the team makes its way to the door in Bubba's wake. She's still a little awed that she got to meet such a famous Captain, and she vows to do her best.
"Wait, what?" she asks Bubba as his story rouses her out of her fan-girl moment. "You ate how many? Oranges keep the scurvy away, but too many'll mess you up."
"You oughta try eatin' the shrimp shells when you cook 'em. They're good for your bones. Might make you a little taller," she says with a wink to Bubba so he knows she's just kidding. About the taller part, anyway. Eatin' the shells is normal at sea. Why waste good nutrition?
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"Right, so Gorm. What else do you know about this researcher?" Swayaah asks everything she can and eventually sets this researcher as one of her leads.
Salera shrugs and checks out her plate when Bubba sneaks in another cookie. She grins. "Aren't you adorable? Remind me of my husband. He always knew how to cheer me up." She pauses and looks up at Swayaah.
"Mom! I said no talking." Swayaah sighs. "Bubba, don't mind her. She starts talking and then she has you wrapped up around her finger." She gently pushes the plate away. "Stop eating, let's go already."
As Swayaah storms off, Salera pats her satchel, winks at Bubba, and stands up to follow.
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Bubba makes an immediate hard left to the seafood table to snag a brace of skewered shrimp. "Never pass up a good food idea, especially when its FREE!" He scoops up a handful and passes them out to the group to try on the walk. Crunch Crunch
"Not bad but they kinda poke yer soft mouth bits n get stuck between your teeth." He uses the skewer to pry out the chitin.
With the group opting to go visit the Petal District first, Swayaah takes a moment to catch Gorm Greathammer one last time before you set out. When she asks if he knows anything else about the mysterious researcher, the dwarf reluctantly answers, "To be honest, not much. I've not had a good chance to ask around about her myself, else I'd have had a little more information for you. The one thing I do know is that her name is Tavvar Hamavsi. Should be enough to go on for you to ask a few questions of your own, at least."
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The Petal District lies in the northwestern part of Absalom, east of the Ascendant Court and rests atop the Watercleft cliff face upon a rise of land known as Aroden's Hill. Known as the wealthiest district of the City at the Center of the World, it is also home to the most powerful noble families. The district's name comes from the well-maintained rows of flowers that run down the center of almost every paved street in brick-framed medians.
Although there are many points of interest to be found within the Petal District, the one that concerns you today is the College of Mysteries. Formerly known as the House of Secrets, the College of Mysteries is the oldest school of magic in Absalom. The college has a superb reputation in the city and is favored by a number of organisations, such the Javelin Gallery, whom they aid by enchanting weapons.
Tavvar Hamavsi and her research has been a major topic of conversation in the College of Mysteries over the last few weeks. She's been experimenting with Nidalese shadow magic, and has been obsessing over a ritual. You recall that Gorm would like you to investigate what is going on, and to procure a copy of the Nidalese texts Tavvar has been using in her research.
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The Snob District remains one of the more lucrative neighborhoods for Swayaah. Every noble is up to something: a wild affair in the middle of the night, a smuggling ring still clinging onto the old ways, or a "public works" program full of nepotism. But they pay well and keep Mom distracted. She loves hearing all of the rumors and stories Swayaah brings back. It's almost enough to calm her rage.
Salera spends her time smelling the flowers, and badmouthing the poorly-maintained flowerbeds she finds. Which for her, are almost all of them. One rosebush gets her attention and she begs Swayaah to buy a rose from a nearby vendor. Swayaah sighs and pulls out her copper pieces.
Swayaah takes the time to talk to the vendor and gets a lay of the land. Tavaar Hamavsi- has she purchased anything from here recently? Any well-known sponsors of her work? Do you know any of her allies or assistants?
Ezren doesn't waste any time here as he heads to one of the merchant vendors procuring his wares. "Pardon me but I am new in this district and I was trying to track down Tavvar Hamavsi, a mage of some repute. Have you run across her recently?"
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Jirelle smiles as she soaks up the sun and enjoys the stroll along the flower-lined streets and past all the beautiful mansions. She stops as a corner cafe with some outdoor tables, and tries to chat with the waiter after he delivers her order. She even goes so far as to leave a generous tip hoping to loosen his lips as she listens for rumors of Nidalese rituals.
As you take to the streets around the College of Mysteries, several of you pick up some interesting tidbits about Tavvar. The flower vendor remarks to Swayaah, "Oh sure, I get students - and their teachers - from the college all the time. Poor Tavvar, the girl never fit in - part Nidalese, no sense of fashion at all." The vendor shakes her head. "No wonder she scampered off to that creepy Blakros Museum to work instead of staying on the campus. You'll find her there after hours, I imagine."
The vendor sighs, tidying up her arrangements. "I know the child was feeling harried. The college is one of those Publish or Perish kind of places, from what I hear. But when she mentioned she'd ordered her books to be sent to the museum, I worried that she'd just perish before she ever got to publishing, you know? That museum is nothing but trouble!"
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At the nearby bookstore, Ezren hears, "Oh, you've heard of Tavvar? Does that mean you have an interest in Nidalese Shadow Magic Rituals too?" The bookseller, a little green haired gnome with glasses, looks up promptly. "I hope the interest is purely academic. That magic is most assuredly NOT safe. It's dark, unpredictable, slippery." The bookseller sighed. "I tried telling that to that girl, but it was no use - she seemed bound and determined to do whatever it is that she's planning to do..."
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Meanwhile, at the corner cafe, Jirelle strikes up a friendly conversation with the waiter. When she inquires about Tavvar, the young man smiles. "Tavvar's got a lot of passion for her work. It's not often, but she'll come by in the early evening from time to time for a coffee," he remarks. "Always going on about rituals and shadow magic. I don't understand much of it but I don't mind listening when she wants to talk, because she doesn't seem to have too many friends at the college. But I've not seen much of her lately; she mentioned something about moving her work over to the Blakros Museum so I guess that's where you'd find her."
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After speaking with Gorm a little more about Tavvar and feeling certain that the best source of information would be her colleagues, Pawero makes his way to the College of Mysteries itself and heads to the library to speak with some of the staff.
"Tavvar? Oh, oh yeah, I know who you're talking about," nods the young woman behind the reference desk, albeit a bit distractedly. "She used to be in here all the time and I think she read through every book we have on shadow magic at least twice!"
"But you know, what good is all that research if you don't have the field experience to back it up?" the librarian adds. "So many students pass through who never bother to get any hands-on experience with anything, thinking they can just absorb everything they need by reading. Tavvar didn't seem to be any different."
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By the time everyone has finished canvassing for information the hour has gotten late...and the Blakros Museum has likely just closed for the day...
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Bubba follows the group around and asks a few rando's along the way if they've heard of Tavvar.
"Ya, I got a big nose. Thanks for that." Sheesh, who'dda thunk old ladies would be so mean now? He stops petting her dog and moves along down the road, plucking a few flowers from the hedges as he goes.
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"So you said somethin' about a museum? Guess we should go there eh?" Whatever a museum is I guess.
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Blakros.
Always something going on in this museum.
Ghosts, or Automata, or Plants from another dimension... Swayaah always dreads coming here. But that's where today's mystery leads.
Salera carries a handful of roses. Much more than Swayaah ever purchased. They remind her of simpler times. Happier times.
Once the Pathfinders reconvene, Swayaah sighs in defeat. "So... Blakros museum. She's probably in there. Everyone alright with heading in there?"
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"Blakros Museum? They still haven't torn down that place??" Ezren grumbles under his breath as he follows behind. "You'd think they learn by now..."