Dot and delete when selected.
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A shadow appears beside the dwarf, forming into what he may think is just another fevered dream. The shadow lays a hand on his head and in a Tian accented common says "Ah, this one is touched by the Kami. Wake, sir. Come in and make yourself comfortable."
With that the shadowy figure enters the lodge.
Inside he turns out to be a strange, short figure. Slim bodied with skin so dark purple it looks black. Scars and tattoos crawl around all of his visible skin in intricate patterns of dark reds and blues. He wears black leather armor covered by black wrappings and a hood. On his back is a long sword with an odd curve and around his waist is wrapped a long chain that appears to have a sickly on one end and a heavy blunt weight on the other.
He walks in, looking at the first person he sees, "Is this where the Pathfinder meeting is?"
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"Uh...?"
'Low Pay.' Mmmm.
"Tea? Yes, I am sure. Not like Tien leaf though." The old man smiles a snaggle-toothed smile.
"I must confess, small friend, I am not originally of the Dragon Empires. The Light of the Empress of Heaven drew me, and I travelled across the Crown of the World. I lived in a simple monastery for many years. Now, I am here."
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A young powerfully built young woman walks in. Her golden tresses swaying slightly as she moves closer. A friendly looking scorpion in her pocket begins to wave cheerfully at the assembled party.
"Hi there. Hopefully we will start up soon enough. I am Rogarch and this (pointing to the scorpion) is Helping Hand."
"Some tea would be nice if you are offering."
The strangest and friendliest tiny creature is simply ecstatic to greet the party.
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Why is there a grungy dwarf sleeping in a puddle of his own vomit outside the front door of the Pathfinder Lodge in Katheer? Filthy vagrant! Unless . . . nah, there's no way that is a Pathfinder agent.
”Makras!!! Damn it Makras!! No wonder we dwarves have such a bad reputation in some areas!! In your own vomit?!? Really!! Get up! Sadaf is here to clean you up! I even brought Danduun with me!“ he says and assists his old companion.
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A dwarf that smells like ... nothing as he is odorless ... enters. He is unkempt but looks quite healthy! At his side you see a small dinosaur.
”Hey everyone, do not worry. We will convince Makras here that it was a mistake to pass out in front of the lodge! Because we are Pathfinders! Sadaf Kargar is my name! It is a pleasure doing business with you all! If you have any interest in natural resources or animal products then I am your expert!!!“ Sadaf says.
—-
Sadaf looks at the the others.
"So what is your story?!" he asks.
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Rogarch beams at the dwarf completely unfazed by his jaded comments.
"Such a gloomy face and the race has yet to start. The day is young and filled with such promise."
She turns her attention to Saraf and his dinosaur companion.
"Interesting creature you have there. Are you quite sure that he is house broken?"
As the Pathfinders are introducing themselves to each other, a note is delivered to them:
Pathfinders,
As the seasons change and the fickle winds alter their course to bring rain to a parched land, so too do the Ten once again turn their eyes toward Qadira and its riches. Sadly, the circumstances are tragic, not celebratory. Trade Princess Zarmina Bahjari, mentor and aunt-by-marriage to the esteemed Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam, passed away recently, and the family is holding a wake for her at their estate in Katheer. The trade prince has asked a handful of agents to join him for this event, and I request that you do just that both as a show of solidarity for an important ally of the Society. I understand he also has other work for you that might prove quite lucrative, so as long he does not ask for anything too bizarre, I trust you will honor his requests as you would my own.
I am away on business, but I had another agent retrieve several worthy items from my personal vault. Please take one to offer to the family in the name of the Society and me during the wake.
Be civil,
Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi
The man who delivered the note then shows you three items: a silver-chased scimitar, a gold ring bearing three sapphires, and a steel shield bearing an image of Sarenrae painted in gold and studded with garnets.
After you have made your selection, you will be escorted to Bahjari Manor.
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Sleeping Sword snaps awake as the courier delivers his note and the choice to be made.
"Uh... wuzzat? Sleeping Sword!"
The old man looks over the items with the benefit of a Detect Magic spell.
"Uh, I do not know if any of these treasures has special significance. The defensive potential of the ring and the shield are obvious. A sword is a killing tool, an inappropriate gift at a wake."
The monk looks seriously at the gathered pathfinders.
"Uh... before we leave, you must all know this about me: my birth was cursed. This curse gives me strength far beyond that of ordinary men, but it also leaves me vulnerable to positive energy. Such energy as might heal your wounds is deadly to me. Instead, negative energy mends my flesh - as far as it is possible to mend this decrepit body. For I am dhampir."
Sleeping Sword withdraws several magic items from his belt and pack - a scroll, a wand and a potion. The potion is clearly labelled in both Tien and Common :Sleeping Sword ONLY! DO NOT DRINK!
"You may use these items to revive me should I fall."
"Whilst we are discussing the use of items, do any of you have any facility with arcane magic? Should we be forced to defend ourselves, I have another wand that bears a Mage Armour spell and would be grateful if one of you could employ it."
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Rogarch smiles at Sleeping Sword.
"I can definitely help you activate your wand. It is the sort of wand that you will want to activate before combat begins of course."
"I am afraid that I can be of no help in determining which item to select as a gift."
@cmlobue - Rogarch will sell a potion of Enlarge Person and purchase a Familiar Satchel. Playing up is dangerous and doubly so for a familiar.
Sleeping Sword knows that Sarenrae, also called the Dawnflower, is the neutral good goddess of the Sun. Her portfolio also includes redemption, honesty and healing. She teaches temperance and patience in all things. Compassion and peace are her greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be.
He does not know anything specific about the family that would indicate whether the shield would be a good choice or not. However, her sacred colors are blue and gold and her favored weapon is the scimitar, so perhaps all of them are related to the goddess somehow.
You select the ring. The servant packages it for you and takes the other items away. You are taken to the manor, where servants of Zarmina’s family see to your immediate needs and direct you to a study.
Dressed in a white linen robe tied with a silk sash, Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam stands behind a desk in this small study. He spreads his arms wide in welcome, though his face speaks to his fatigue and grief. “You are a welcome sight, Pathfinders, and I trust you are here at the behest of the esteemed Esmayl ibn Qaradi. As you can tell, this is not a day to uncover fresh secrets. Rather, it is one of mourning for Zarmina Bahjari—a noble trade princess, my mentor, and the reason I ever became a trade prince. I am here to see to her estate, act as executor of her will, and carry on her commercial interests.
“It may seem strange to engage in business during so somber an occasion, but trade happens quickly in Qadira; my late aunt by marriage would actually be disappointed were I not to wrangle her vulture-like competitors into submission. Even so, it would be unseemly for a member of Zarmina’s family to conduct business at her wake.
“Though I have inherited much from my mentor, I do not intend to sit idly and live off her successes. It is still my intention to strengthen trade routes with throughout the Inner Sea while making the Pathfinder Society my chief ally. I want you to stand as an example of what we have to gain by continuing to work with the western nations.
“For that reason, I requested the Society’s aid because we have only a brief window of opportunity to speak with our rivals and convince them instead to become our allies. There are five in particular that I would benefit from your attention, and I understand several of them maintain their own rivalries with one another. Win over as many as you can, and I shall speak with them afterward to negotiate any details. Is that agreeable?”
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Rogarch smiles broadly noting the obvious mismatch between the mission objectives and the personnel provided.
"We will do our best of course. It is a rag-tag team as you can tell (looking over at Makras in particular) but perhaps your guests will find their manners a frank and refreshing change from the usual pleasantries exchanged at these events."
"I will not pretend to know your customs but I am assuming that dinosaurs will not be permitted to attend this social function?"
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Sadaf starts to look a little depressed.
He starts to talk in Kelish.
”Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam, I am truly sorry for your loss! As a merchant that grew up in Qadira, I completely understand the procedures and also understand what you’re trying to achieve! Please be assured that I do not only feel an obligation to the society and the exchange faction here but to my country!“ he says with a stern look on his face.
”This is the first time that we meet. Let me introduce myself. I am Sadaf Kargar and you might know mich father Trade Prince Talandar Kargar. Our merchant family has deep roots in the Exchange faction of the Pathfinder Society. Thus, my brothers Almaas, Jangafzaar, and Toral are all members of the Pathfinder Society. You might have met them in the past!“ he says.
He then turns to the mission and continues in common.
”We would very much appreciate it if you could give us the information we need to be able to convince the merchants that are most important for you! Additionally, we need time to understand their motives so if you can also provide us the details of the wake and what will happen during the wake then we can prepare everything!“
The Trade Prince frowns at Rogarch. "It would not be the strangest thing to happen in these halls, but it would be quite unpleasant for all of us if it is not able to behave appropriately. The staff can certainly care for it near the house."
He then turns to Sadaf. “I or one of my assistants shall point them out as they arrive. Their names are Pellius Melkior from Andoran, Doritannia Raffella from Taldor, Temel Passad from Druma, Jakti al’Awar from Qadira, and Metella Rauger from the Five Kings Mountains. I understand that Passad, al’Awar, and Rauger are particularly influential.”
Seeing the mad rush to change clothing, the Trade Prince adds, "The local custom is to wear at least some white. However, Zarmina had many foreign contacts who are likely to attend in many styles of dress, so as long as you are clean and presentable, you are welcome to wear what you wish."
Aaqir explains that he will tell you more about the merchants as they arrive.
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For an instant, it looks like Makras is going to protest Sleeping Sword's statement. But then a curious gleam comes in his eyes, and he has one of al'Hakam's servants show him into a private washroom.
Makras emerges a couple of hours later, looking clean(er) but with breath smelling so strongly of alcohol that it could kill some of Katheer's ever-present flies. He staggers a bit, belches, wipes his palm across his mouth, and says "Now, I'm ready."
Aaqir al’Hakam leads them into the manor’s grand hall to greet guests and mourners. He gives you a brief overview of the event, and points out the most important people among the mourners.
“Temel Passad is a prophet of Kalistrade, an adherent to a strict set of personal codes that supposedly aid in one’s earning wealth. He is a clever man that the Society has dealt with before—typically under pleasant circumstances. His business ventures sometimes compete with those of the Five Kings Mountains, which has led to a rivalry with Metella Rauger.”
“Doritannia Raffella buys and sells alcohol and spirits. She comes from a common household yet elevated her status through her own acumen and hard work, though she recently fell on hard times. No doubt her experience would be a valuable asset to any business venture.”
“Metella Rauger represents several trading houses from the Five Kings Mountains, and she has worked with the Society and its allies before. She’s stubborn but fair. No doubt she will be on edge here thanks to Temel Passad’s having decided to attend and honor Zarmina’s memory.”
“Pellius Melkior is from Andoran and has established himself as a reliable trader of durable goods in his country. Rumor has it that he has also looked into expanding his business into the River Kingdoms and Taldor.”
“Jakti al’Awar has spent much time abroad and only recently returned to Qadira. He maintains a small business in magic items, and some speculate that his travels and business are primarily for scholarly purposes. What is known is mostly speculation; he is something of an unknown here.”
Aaqir al’Hakam accompanies you for several minutes to make the appropriate introductions to his family, including his spouse Emir Thalzar Gaatan and their three daughters. He also points out Umut Tepemkau, a visiting cleric of Pharasma and friend from Zarmina’s younger days whom her will specified should oversee her interment; al’Hakam notes that she is busy with preparations and might be
available to chat later. Once he is sure you are at home, Aaqir excuses himself to speak with other guests and ensure that the funerary arrangements are taken care of.
Each character will have two attempts to make checks to get the merchants on the Pathfinder Society's good side during this part of the scenario. You will choose an NPC to interact with and make a check. You have two options: you can make a check to gain Influence with the NPC. Bluff and Diplomacy will always work, as will other checks specific to the NPC.
You can also make a Discovery check to try to learn more about the person with Sense Motive or a relevant Knowledge check (Local works for anyone, while others may be appropriate based on their profession). This will allow you to determine what other skills may work to influence them.
If multiple characters talk to the same NPC in the same round, the highest result will count, and any others will be treated as Aid Another attempts.
The NPCs may also have other tasks for you to perform to gain Influence, which will come up when you speak to them. These do not count toward your limit of influence checks, and if you attempt them, they will happen before the result of the Influence check, because success adds a bonus to those checks.
And, of course, you can just state what you are doing and make the roll, but you can gain bonuses for roleplaying good appeals.
Round 1 - everyone may go
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After Aaqir leaves the group, "It seems that some of these people's interests overlap and they may be stronger working together. If someone is perhaps better at the sweet talking than me, they might take that route... As for me... hmm..."
He will approach Jakti, "Good day sir. My name is Lo and I am part of the Pathfinder Society. I understand you dabble in the sale of magic items. This interests me and of course, the society at large. Perhaps we can talk about possible future business. What important figure invited you here? We were invited by Aaqir."
Lo tries to get a sense of what Jakti might be looking for here...
Jatki turns to the wayang and says, "Greetings. It is always pleasant to talk about business, though the circumstances are not the best today.
Still the Dawnflower joins us as she will, and we must do what we can to spread her light. For my part, I have a small business purveying scrolls, which I'm sure your organization is always in need of." He fans himself briefly and adds, " the sun’s heat has made the manor stuffy, yet the servants seem less than willing to open additional windows to let in more air. Perhaps you could have a word with them?"
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Sleeping Sword, though not a socialite by any means, feels less out of place than he did at the opera. A funeral is a ceremony common to any organised religion, and the priest of Shizuru is curious to see if the rites of the Keleshite sun-goddess are similar to those of the Tien sun-goddess.
In the meantime, the dhampir tries to make conversation and assess the Trade Prince's rivals.
He approaches Doritannia Raffella and bows. "Good day, mistress Raffella. I am called Sleeping Sword - an agent of the Pathfinder Society and friend to Aaqir al’Hakam. The Trade Prince tells me that he admires your industriousness, for he knows that greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising each time we fall."
"Good day, friend," she answers cautiously. "And there is truth in your words." Her voice lowers to barely more than a whisper. "There are many here whose only accomplishment is to turn a lot of money into a larger lot of money, but I cam from nothing." Her voice returns to normal. "I look forward to a conversation with your Society about potential business opportunities."
You notice that she often looks to Temel Passad for approval before answering a question.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Lo Pei
Makras
Rogarch
Sadaf
Sleeping Sword
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Rogarch works with Makras to woo over Doritannia. She attempts to be the oil to his vinegar.
"I imagine that there are many opportunities for you to work with the society and the Exchange in particular. Please tell us more about your fine ales and spirits."
@cmlobue - This just hits the roll I need to recruit Doritannia to work with the Exchange on my Reward sheet (My character is only 2nd level). Can I check the box on the sheet?