[PaizoCon2021] GM Dinketry and the Lost Maid of Anactoria [PFS2e] (02-17) (Inactive)

Game Master dinketry

Welcome everyone! Please dot and delete.

You have been sent to the City of Shrouds - Caliphas, the capital city of the nation of Ustalav. Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss of the Vodavani Lodge sent for you by name, but subsequent to the invitation, has been called away on urgent business - most likely related to their former duties as the leader of the now-destroyed Lastwall Lodge. The former face of the Pathfinder Society lodge in Caliphas, Dr Beaurigmand Trice, has taken over interim capable duties of the lodge that he once ran before retiring to take up his full-time psychiatric practice, now more in demand than ever since the return of the Whispering Tyrant.

The conference room in the Vodavani Lodge bespeaks its earlier incarnation as Dr Trice's Havenguard Asylum: small and utilitarian, yet comforting, with paintings bearing abstract images in soft colours hung on the warm, wood-panelled walls. Seated at the head of a large dining table filled with printed paraphernalia is a disheveled man who seems more than a little relieved at your arrival. He stands when you come in, gesturing to the empty chairs.

“Ah yes, agents, come in. Sit down. How are you all feeling? I’m glad you are here—and seemingly in good health? Very well, I’ll come to the point. We’ve received a letter from a friend of the Society, Mother Belchescu, a Pharasmin priestess from the peat farming village of Anactoria. They’re famous for the ‘Maid of Anactoria.’ It’s a bog body, the corpse of a human female, preserved in the bog for hundreds of years. It’s quite fascinating! The anaerobic conditions in the bogs north of town prevent decay, resulting in a natural mummification—ah, sorry. To the point. Right.”

The doctor rifles through the mess of documents on his desk, producing a folded letter.

“The uneducated locals believe the Maid has mystical powers: healing tears, whispers of portents, the usual. All rubbish! But they rely on the Maid to draw tourists, so it’s rather important to them. Mother Belchescu has asked for our help in protecting it — the Aspis Consortium has been snooping around, and she believes they mean to steal it. Alas, so many patients need my help here these days. So, the mission is yours! Investigate the Aspis agents’ motives and ensure the Maid’s safety. Any questions?”

Absently-mindedly, the doctor sniffs and hands over the letter after pausing and squinting at it.

On Google slides #1-3 are various bits of artwork, including the front cover of the scenario featuring some bipedal vegetal mass that I'm sure will be friendly, a 'Where in the World?' map pointing out the swamp village of Anactoria (it's tiny!), two cityscape views of Caliphas, the City of Shrouds - one featuring a large centre city garden/cemetery surrounded by looming gothic buildings, and the other featuring industrial smoke stacks sprouting from factories lining the port of Caliphas, and finally, a portrait of the good Dr Trice in disheveled dark grey/black clothes, questionably stained.

Please introduce and describe your characters for each other. It is assumed that this meeting room in the Vodavani Lodge is the first place your characters have met, but if you'd like to have to traveled together to Caliphas, let us know!

Wren frowns after reading the letter. "So, we were brought here to guard a... corpse. Based on what you're saying the corpse can't leave the bog because it would begin to decay. If so, why would someone attempt to steal it? It won't last long outside the bog, after all."

"Ah, I see....no," the doctor says, rubbing the back of his head. "The locals in Anactoria dragged the Maid out of the bog years ago and have her....uh, it, on display. People come to their small village of two hundred souls to see the so-called miracles that have never been properly authenticated. It’s all confirmation bias and wishful thinking on the part of superstitious farmers, but it generates revenue that outpaces the meagre sustenance that comes from peat harvesting."

Dr Trice sits down, his fingers steepled under his nose. "You're guarding the economic wellbeing of a small village at the behest of a friend of the Society."

As I said previously, you all may introduce your characters to each other.

Well, Wren Zakun, a lvl 1 character for a 3-6 game?

Grabbed the wrong character when I went to post. This is what happens when I don't have coffee.

Wren frowns after reading the letter. "So, we were brought here to guard a... corpse. Based on what you're saying the corpse can't leave the bog because it would begin to decay. If so, why would someone attempt to steal it? It won't last long outside the bog, after all."

Just pretend Trita said this instead.

The gnome who spoke is slightly taller than most gnomes with purple hair with pink highlights. Her face is adorned with a wide array of piercings in her ears, nose and a ball bearing through her lower lip. Between her piercings and her suede looking jacket with a bright pink lining, one might presume her to be a pirate.

Another gnome, svelte and shiny with a silvery skin tone, chirps from the back of the room, "I've run into Aspis agents before. Usually they're cowards or greedy." Strutting forward, the silver gnome brushes his immense tuft of white hair and snaps his fingers. At that moment, a raccoon carrying a small guitar rushes into the room and strums a frantic, discordant chord. "I'm Garnet Glitterheart. You may have heard of me. This is Rockett, my squire and personal musician," pointing to the raccoon, who is struggling to tune his instrument.

Ah ah ah, great. That's an explanation.

The dwarf wearing a breastplate has a war dwarf axe emerging from behind his back. His beard covers well is face. It is perhaps the reason why he's not very skilled in social skills. The beast's fur over his armor seems good to go into the wilderness.

I'm Dran'Thil from the Dran'Thor's family from the Torgin's clan. So our utility will be to stay with an eye over the Maid. How long should we stay there in this role? Will be another party sent to relieve us?

After a second:

By the way what can we do with the members of the Aspis? I mean what is allowed to us for interrogating them?

Johnny sniper walks in, hopefully no one notices how pale he, then sees another dwarf. Ah, how about a drinking contest?

I believe that Wren is actually our gnome swashbuckler. It's real easy to click on the wrong profile.

It's Trita. She told it. Because a lack of coffee.

I believe that Wren is actually our gnome swashbuckler. It's real easy to click on the wrong profile.

As Dran'Thil pointed out, Wren = Trita Ram (Gnome sorceress).

A black haired young human wearing the holy symbol of Iomedae on the chest of his scale mail armor and a longsword at his belt dares to say to Dran'Thil:

Nice. I met your brother Dran'Thor last year. A great druid for sure. I hope he's well.

Then to the doctor:

Apart from the Aspis who else may would like to interfere with this Maid?

Is the maid undead, or a holy relic? It's unusual, certainly. Most villages don't worship bog spirits.

Dr Trice cocks an eyebrow at the questions. “The Aspis Consortium is an amoral business organisation, interested in knowledge and history only if they can make a profit from it. We're not accusing them of anything just yet, but the locals in Anactoria have their concerns. Your job is to discover what the Aspis are doing there, spread the word that the Society is listening for the call for help, and to make certain that the Maid is safe. Perhaps when you do those things, the time frame for your engagement in Anactoria will reveal itself."

"As far as others apart from the Aspis that might be interested...I cannot think of any. The Maid, or the corpse, that is, is completely nonmagical, but superstition begets legend. So perhaps those chasing legends might be intrigued by the Maid, but I don't have any other suspects to suggest."

Please give me your Society modifier checks, or Lore (Ustalav) check, if you have it.

Nothing to roll for me.

Neither for me.

Society +6
We should just politely ask the Aspis what they are doing there.

Society +5

Superb idea. We can ask them to move in, be roommates. I get top bunk.

Society +10

Trita smirks and Garnet's suggestion, Why not marry one? she says trying to stifle a giggle. Turning back to Dr. Trice, So, we should go meet with Mother Belchescu then?

Marry one?!?

The dwarf raises an eyebrow hearing such a proposition. But then he let down any reaction as so many obstacles will prevent this to happen that it's useless to take time to explain why it's not a good idea.

If you're sure, I celebrate your wedding as well. But you must know that the ties bound by Iomedae can only be severed by death.

Everyone gets to roll for Society checks, so I have done so in secret.

With Dranald's dire benediction on the nuptial rites as a capstone, the newly-forged team get directed to the two chartered coaches departing Caliphas bound for Anactoria.

You all may make any mundane purchases that you wish to make. You each have a Hero Point awarded.

Your travel is uneventful, and the coaches arrive in Anactoria on the afternoon of the second day of travel, stopping in front of the Weeping Willow, Anactoria’s sole public house. The rural inland village, on the banks of the Droa River and south of the Albria Woods, presents itself as quiet, arboreal, and quaint, until you pull up at the public house, that is.

As you disembark the coaches and a driver hands down luggage from the roof, a dozen dour villagers filter out of the pub and gather around. Several carry cudgels or staves, and the bald tavern keeper stands in front of his doorway with a heavy crossbow cradled in his arms. The welcoming committee seems to have been awaiting your arrival.

“So, you Snakes have returned to carry off your prize?” a stout woman sounds out in a thick Ustalav accent, a large cudgel resting casually on her shoulder. She shakes her head solemnly. “I do not think so. You had best turn that carriage around and head back to your Aspis masters. You will not steal the Maid of Anactoria!” The villagers behind her mutter darkly in agreement.

I have first, created tokens for each of your characters (Garnet, your image isn't coming up, so I made a well-known gnome swashbuckler as your token stand-in; hope you don't mind). Secondly, a bit of art of the swamp forest village of Anactoria is on slide #4 (it's swampy!), and lastly, on slide #5 is your first tactical map of the encounter. Two large caravans have pulled up on the road leading north-south on the right side of the map to drop you at the public house. The public house consists of a 35 x 55 ft building oriented west-to-east in its longest dimension, with a fenced off 20 x 25 ft yard on its eastern end. You are at the northeast corner of the fenced-in yard (but outside the yard). There is a mob of ten village commoners, the innkeeper, and the woman speaker clustered around the main door to the pub, which is in the centre of the north wall of the building. There is about 25 ft between your group of five and the mob of villagers. The open gate to the yard is 10 ft away from the nearest of you (Johnny).

What would you like to do? You may each attempt an action; we are not yet in initiative.

Trita looks a bit puzzled at the woman, Ma'am, I can assure you, we've never met before and I've never set foot in this area in my life. I don't believe any of my companions have either. We're Pathfinders and we were sent here by the local Venture Captain to help protect the Maid of Anactoria from being snatched by the Aspis Consortium or anyone else, for that matter. She pauses for a moment then says to the crowd, We were instructed to seek out Mother Belchescu. If you could direct us to her, it would be much appreciated, Trita finishes with a smile that is meant to convey both friendliness and sincerity.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

The dwarf lets his hireling express himself instead of speaking himself as it is not his cup of tea.

Yes, listen to the female gnome. She tells the truth. we are not here to steal anything. But more to help you to stay with the Maid.

Diplomacy, hireling: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Diplomacy, hireling, glyph reroll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Objectively, why do you think we want to steal the Maid? I may assure you this is not the case. It is even the opposite. We are here to help you to avoid any disappearance of it.[b]

[b]Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Johnny ain't going to try diplomacy and mess it up, so he will cast light.

Thanks for the clarification, Dran'thil.

"Pathfinders?" the bartender queries from the doorway, his head cocked in puzzlement.

"Yes, Pathfinders, you biscuit-head!" a different voice yells out from the trail. As the crowd turns, a pair of women - one older and dressed in a wide skirt, the other in leathers - advance on the scene.

"Yes, well, Mother, the Aspis snakes take many forms, but it would seem that these folks are not them. We will continue our hunt for those responsible." The grumpy woman with the cudgel seems a bit cowled. "Sorry," and with the terse apology directed at the air somewhere in front of you, the crowd disperses.

The older woman turns her severe expression from glowering at the muttering crowd to your gathered team. "Apologies for that," she sighs, a grimace replacing the glower on her face. "I am Mother Belchescu, speaker for the Lady of Graves and elder to this village. This is Constable Doryn Fieru," the younger woman gives a sharp upward incline of her head at the introduction, her expression shrewd.

"Come," Mother Belchescu states plainly, pushing open the door of the Weeping Willow, "I have arranged for rooms for you all during your stay here in Anactoria. You may stow your equipment here safely." She gestures rather lamely around the small common room, then sighs, dropping her arms. "I'm sorry, but there has been a development," she says, bringing the edge of her long flowing skirt to her brow and dabbing. "The Maid of Anactoria has been taken."

We're too late! Which way did those Aspis thugs go?

Garnet is especially buoyant and attempts to ingratiate himself with the locals while accusing the Aspis of thuggery.

Group Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Art of the two ladies here on Slide 6.

Mother Belchescu looks a bit taken aback at Garnet's accusations.

"Yes, well, with vengeful mobs like the one that met you wandering around the village "hunting" them, it's unlikely that the Aspis are simply going to wander around announcing their presence. It is true that I've seen them in our village, but I know not where they are residing - it is not here at the Weeping Willow."

"Perhaps you'd like to examine where the Maid has rested these past fifty-plus years, at the Tarsolu residence? Constable Fieru has taken charge of the scene of the crime and ordered nothing altered since the theft was discovered early this morning. Constable Fieru?" The leathered woman gives another upward jerk of her head in silent confirmation. "Of course, you all must be fatigued from your journeys. I am so sorry to trouble you with demands just as you have arrived - please, do what you need, but I beg of you - find the Maid before she, and our town's fortunes, vanish forever!"

Well we go to the crime scene. As soon as we have inspected it as soon as we can really begin the investigation. In a disappearance case we have to act quickly. Such cases are resolved quickly... or never.

The human is right. We have no time to loose if we want to retrieve the Maid. Constable Fieru, we follow you when you're ready.

Lead the way, Constable.

Trita nods in agreement with the others. "The sooner we begin, the more likely it is we'll find out who is doing this and recover the Maid."

Mother Belchescu says a brief benediction to the Lady of Graves on your behalf, and Constable Fieru then leads you all from the Weeping Willow to the Tarsolu home. It is a two-story frame affair that seems well-maintained, in stark contrast to many other ramshackle buildings in the village. From the gate in the short picket fence, a stone pathway meanders through a simple garden to the front door. A large wooden sign by the gate proclaims this is the “Home of the World-Famous Maid of Anactoria!”

Art on Slide #7 from the rear of the stately building.

Constable Fieru leads you up to the front door and enters with a soft knock. The cottage’s front room is a wide open space, twenty feet to a side, with wooden pillars supporting the upper floor. Across from the front door is a curtained area, and the curtain is currently drawn aside to reveal a long empty glass case. A dour-appearing middle-aged couple stand together in the front room, a younger man in glasses attempting to console them. They turn at your entry. The constable makes introductions.

"This is Madame Solace and Master Pietr Tarsalou, and their son Evgeni. Good folks, these are the Pathfinder investigators sent for by Mother Belchescu to protect the Maid of Anactoria. They will do all they can to return her to you."

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

Peace on you. We are effectively here to investigate the disappearance. Can you tell us when you've discovered it and who discovered it? And also the circumstances you discovered it. Did you hear something special? Smell? See?

During the time he speaks he moves towards the curtain and then kneels once arrived where the little girl stands.

And you? Did you see something? How long have you been here?

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

The cleric looks around to see if there are some tracks before too many people will steps here.

Survival: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 Johnny is tempted to play peek-a-boo now.

Description of the slides - belated, sorry: the slide depicting the Tarsolu house shows a surprisingly-fit two story affair, complete with a small tower to the east and a water-mill to the west. There is no depiction of the room that you're currently in apart from the description. In addition to the text detailing the room, there is a closed door to the west. The four members of the Tarsolu family are depicted in the next slide, showing the dour middle-aged couple of Solace and Pietr, their bespectacled young adult son Evgeni, and a wan and spooked looking little girl.

"That is Olena," Solace, the matriarch of the Tarsolu family speaks flatly to Dran'thil as the girl shrieks and pulls the curtain completely around herself, obscuring her view of the dwarf. "She frightens easily. She is our grand-daughter, the only child of our daughter Edda and her husband Vili. They were killed last year in a carriage accident. She has been 'touched' since."

Pietr Tarsolu replies to Dran'thil's first question. "We all slept through the night and found the Maid missing this morning." He looks dully about the display room. "I am so very angry that someone would harm our family like this." The tone of his voice, to the contrary, seems conversational, almost casual.

"Those Aspis must pay!" Evgeni growls, turning to the team. "My parents are aggrieved - I am aggrieved! Our village has been over-run in recent times with suspicious outsiders like that elf, Jahandreal, or those nameless strangers purchasing equipment at Domiri's and heading off into the swamp for Pharasma knows what! And now they have stolen our village's treasure, my family's charge, the mystic guardian that has watched over us for generations! I have heard of the Pathfinder Society's renown and I pledge any and all assistance I might muster to aid you righteous agents of justice. Please help us!" Unlike Pietr and Solace, their son Evgeni speaks with a fiery charisma.

We will play this in phases. During each phase of a day (three phases), you may investigate a scene or question someone. You have one phase remaining to this day before sunlight fails you (and your travel fatigue catches up to you). Your chance of finding things via investigating a scene are enhanced if you tell me what you specifically are checking out. What would each of you like to do - investigate or interrogate?

Curious. I thought the Maid was not magical. Would it have value to someone other than the Aspis? Perhaps a forlorn wizard or cult?

Garnet looks at the door and windows, examining for signs of intrusion.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13

Medicine: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 = 12

The entire Tarsolu family look offended and outraged at the thoughtless words of the gnome.

”NOT magical?!” Piotr Tarsolu says with an angry expression on his face.

”Father, I’m sure these ignorant people don’t mean what they have said,” Evgeni says, stepping in between his family and Garnet.

Garnet, I don’t seem to have made myself clear. You can EITHER Interrogate people or you can investigate. Perception and social checks are usually secret checks, rolled by your GM.

Trita will attempt to assess whether Pietr is lying about being angry about the Maid being gone and/or everyone being asleep all night.

Trita looks at Pietr quizzically, "If you were asleep all night, how do you know whether or not anyone woke up during that time? Perhaps, someone got up in the middle of the night to... I don't know, get some water or relieve themselves... Why, I don't believe I've ever slept an entire night without getting up for some reason; so, how can you be sure?"

Medicine:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

The cleric talks to Solace: Was somebody here last evening? (if so, who?) Can you show me the cup of tea you drank before to go to bed last night? What were the protections around the Maid? Traps? Something else? How many pounds is the Maid weight by the way? Perhaps Olena has seen something, doesn't she?

The dwarf is looking at the crime scene. Are the doors and windows forced open? Then are there any tracks around on the ground? Finally, he looks at the case of the Maid. Is it broken?

Medicine:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

And with an sudden idea he goes in the kitchen to find out the dishes from the last evening looking for some poison traces.

Where, exactly, is the kitchen, Dran’thil? There has been nothing mentioned about a kitchen.

Regardless, Dran’thil can investigate only the crime scene in the time left before the day ends and the Tarsolu family politely ask you all to leave. It is getting on to dinner, after all.

Pietr replies to Trita.

”Well I can speak for my wife and me. We both slept soundly - we even noted it to each other when we awoke this morning, didn’t we, darling?”

Solace nods in assent, her attention drawn by the rapid-fire questions from Dranald.

”Our son was out of the house in the early evening but returned home before we all went to bed. Olena sleeps in our room at the foot of our bed - she was in her bed when we awoke.”

Solace takes Dranald’s line of questioning stoically. ”I had no tea before I went to bed last night. I have no clue how much The Maid weighs; I have not lifted it. Olena slept all night in our room like Pietr says.”

Are we out of investigation phases for today?

As I stated previously:

You have one phase remaining to this day before sunlight fails you (and your travel fatigue catches up to you).

Johnny Sniper hasn't taken his investigation phase yet.