"Ship looks nice. Is it yours?"
"Why, yes it is ma'am. Named after my father. It's my pride and joy. I'm afraid I don't do discounts. Crew gets paid to do a job. If I reduce their pay 'cos someone else's doing it, it won't go well."
The ship looks well-kept and sound to Igaraise.
The journey takes six days. On board, you share common quarters and are fed three decent meals each day. The journey is pleasant, with very little rough weather. What do you plan on doing whilst aboard?
The crew are pleasant enough and there are no dramas or pirate attacks.
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Igariase prepares a few castings of purify food and water and create water to make sure that all the food and water on the ship is nice and fresh.
They then spend the rest of the days on deck griping under their breath about the sailors not doing things the 'way they're supposed to be done' despite having almost no knowledge about how a ship is run. If confronted about it, they give a huff and head below decks to sleep in the dark spaces instead.
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Below decks, when no one is looking, Igaraise does thump their tail in time to Loka's music, though they would vehemently deny any such thing otherwise. The upbeat music reminds them of the few times they left sewer protection duty to someone else and visited the rest of the Scalebreaker tribe... They would have been happy to stay right where they were, setting magical electrical traps for the haunted reflections in that temple, but the Tapestry started breaking down and it wasn't safe to be there anymore.
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"Why, yes it is ma'am. Named after my father. It's my pride and joy. I'm afraid I don't do discounts. Crew gets paid to do a job. If I reduce their pay 'cos someone else's doing it, it won't go well."
Ysoldt nods. "Fair enough.", and carries on towards her bunk. She drops her meagre belongings there and rushes back to the deck to watch the crew work. She follows a sailor for a while, to a point when he becomes annoyed, and then offers a hand if needed. "To learn the ropes.", she states, with a self-assured smile on her face. She spends a surprising amount of time on the ship climbing the rigging and balancing above the deck. On the third day of the voyage, she arrives to dinner with a bruised shoulder. When questioned, she responds by stating that she "... is used to it.", and doesn't let it get to her. Althought she occasionally checks the bruise, and frequently applies something from her own medkit to the shoulder.
When Lokaloka plays her trumpet, she watches the gathering and rhytmically slams the table. Once things quiet down, she offers to read fortunes from cards or pamls. She watches Igaraise intensely, and lets out a little grin when she sees the tail wag into rythm. "So you lived in the sewer your whole life, scaly friend?"
After a good six days at sea, the Powerful Hector brings you into the bustling port city of Cassomir. Bidding farewell to the captain and crew, you emerge in the Imperial Naval Shipyards district.
Not wating any time you start searching out Rain in Cloudy Day’s last known position: the Three-Legged Frog inn. It turns out that the inn is close to your landing point and is notable for a sign swaying in the wind that depicts a frog standing up on two hind legs while drool from its mouth acts as a third leg to keep the frog’s balance.
You venture inside the reasonably busy establishment and find a middle aged halfling woman smiling at you from near the bar.
"Oooooo! Newcomers! I can tell you never been inside the Frog before! What can I get for you? Ales? Wines? A nice warm meal? How do you like your meat? Take a seat while you think about it."
She hovers around you, not seeming to give you time at all.
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When Lokaloka plays her trumpet, she watches the gathering and rhythmically slams the table. Once things quiet down, she offers to read fortunes from cards or palms. She watches Igaraise intensely, and lets out a little grin when she sees the tail wag into rhythm. "So you lived in the sewer your whole life, scaly friend?"
Igaraise gives a small frown... before deciding to open up, a little at least. "Lived there for most'o it. Got declared Sewer Protector at a young age and lasted longer than anyone can remember. I was good at it! I tell you!" They take a look at Ysoldt's bruised shoulder and the paste she keeps applying. With an eye-roll they grab out a clump of algae and moss, mutter a few words over it causing the sloppy slurry to harden into a plaster like consistency and offer it to the rogue. "Here. Try this. Much better than that mix of... what? Wormwood and peppermint? You'll only need to apply it once."
In the tavern, Igaraise's scales start standing on end in the bustling, busy, noisy, smell-ridden, and distracting tavern with more than a few uncovered reflective surfaces. They seem to constantly emit a low-level hiss like a kettle just on the verge of boiling when not speaking. When asked what they want the kobold plasters a too toothy grimace of a grin on. "We're looking for a leshy. Rain-in-Cloudy-Day." ...and a place where I don't feel like I'm suffocating!
"Oh gods! Where's my manners? I'm Aganis Downard, your innkeeper." She says as she gestures expansively. Looking around the inn, it's clearly a high quality establishment and the smells from the kitchen are very agreeable.
Looking towards Dengar first, she says "I can do anywhere between gently waving it near the flame to a caramelised well-done. My meat is too good to burn. Stout is no problem."
Then turning towards Igaraise "Leshy, you say. Hmmmm.... I think we had a leshy with us around two weeks ago. Can't quite remember his name, I had some time off to look after my old mum. My husband Roland dealt with him. He's in later, doing the evening shift. I tell you what, you have lunch, go and ask about your friend in the Docks, then come back when Roland's here and I'm sure he'll be able to help. We have very reasonable rates for accommodation and if you stay, you'll get a meal this evening and a very good breakfast."
"You'll be wanting the market for cucumbers and radishes, my dear. I do carry a little Elven wine. We often have elves passing through on their way around the Inner Sea."
Aganis makes sure you are all well fed and watered before reiterating her suggestion to go out into the Imperial Naval Shipyard district. She impresses upon you that your Leshy acquaintance will be uncommon enough that people will likely remember him.
"If you will be staying the night here, I can take care of your things, too. We charge a very reasonable 2 and a half gold each for our standard food and accomodation. It will be 5 gold each if you'd like our best rooms and alchemically-enhanced food."
What do you all do?
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On the ship, Ysoldt looks at the piece of mud offered by the kobold. "I'm not someone who disregards techniques even though they might be weird.", she takes the mud, pondering where the hell did Igaraise get mud in the middle of the sea. Better not question it. She puts it on the bruise, and ties a bandage around the thing to keep it in place. "We'll see how it turns out. I trust you know your ... mud? Thanks."
In Three Legged Frog, she takes a lookaround to absorb the atmosphere, greeting the staff with nods. When they sit down, she continues observing the place, and listens in on the discussion of food and beverage.
"Alchemicall enhanced?", she perks up, and looks at the party. "Fun before business? Business before fun? Fun -DURING- business?", she conjures up a joking smile at her companions.
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Lokaloka looks startled at the mention of "Alchemically enhanced food". "You'se haves an alchemist here?! You'se should meets my brovver! He good alchemist! I's not mind where we's staying. Growing up, living in ditch wiv ovver goblins normal!"
Lokaloka looks over at Igaraise, she wonders what the kobold has gone through to be so gloomy all the time. She also wonders what caused a thumping noise on the voyage over.
"You'se look lonely. Are you'se all rights?"
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Lokaloka looks over at Igaraise, she wonders what the kobold has gone through to be so gloomy all the time. She also wonders what caused a thumping noise on the voyage over.
"You'se look lonely. Are you'se all rights?"
"I's is FINE. Okay? Just homesick..."
He looks at everyone else around the table as it seems like they might be here for a bit. "Loka trade ya for the spot against the wall... Alls these peoples behinds me got my scales crawling."
Calming some, they take a deep breath and then add, "Should not spend all that 'precious' gold. I'm okay with standard stuff." When they head back out onto the road, Igaraise tries to find a way into the sewers and asks around about Rain down there.
You leave some of your things in your private rooms at the Three-Legged Frog and make your way back out into the Imperial Naval Shipyards.
Used to asking questions and performing to people in Absalom, Lokaloka finds it relatively easy to locate the right people to ask questions about Rain.
She finds a variety of locals willing to talk. She pieces together that Rain in Cloudy Day showed up late due to bad weather on the trip and had to pay increased costs at the inn as a result.
Not managing to catch a break, desperate citizens stole his provisions and the pack mule that he’d stabled at the Three-Legged Frog inn.
No one else has seen him since he went to meet his guide.
After a several hours in the area, during which time Loka is also able to find cucumbers and radishes, you head back to the inn. You are struck by the poverty that is apparent underneath the thin veneer of a well-off city. You are pleased to be in a group a couple of times when you see shifty-looking individuals appraising you.
Back at the Three-Legged Frog, you meet Roland, Aganis' husband. He is serving evening meals and comes to chat with you after you have a table.
"You're the Pathfinders my wife was tellin' me about, aren't you?" His accent slightly differs from hers. "I 'eard you 'ad some questions about 'im."
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Lokaloka trots back to where the party is staying.
"People I's talked to say that Rain show up late because weather bad on his trip. He pay higher cost in inn. People stealed his things and the mule from Three-Legged Frog."
She then sloshes around the pickle brine in her now-full pickle jar, having stopped by the market to refill it.
In the party's sleeping quarters, she absently moves her things away from the spot she claimed to switch with Igaraise. She leaves a pickled radish on his bedroll.
Looking at Roland, she somewhat glares at him with her beady red eyes. "Things of Rain stolen while he'se was here. Why you let that happen?!"
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"So the fellow is lost, hungry, and has no means of transport. Right. I suggest we head out straight away. Any idea who was his contact or guide? Or where can we find one?"
She looks at Roland initially, but then realises he or his wife MIGHT have ratted the leshy out and thinks better of it. She gives the man a quick glance once more, but then stands up from her chair.
"If we find our colleague injured or worse, I'll come back here. And I will figure out if your place had anything to do with it. Where was the mule stabled?"
"Why are you threatening me and my inn? Is this what Pathfinders have become?" He looks unhappy. "Look, there is a crime problem in Cassomir at the moment. The government is meant to be sorting it out but we'll see. We had a break in. 'Is wasn't the only stuff stolen. Rain decided 'e'd still go on 'is mission. His guide didn't turn up either but 'e still went. Against my advice, I'll 'ave you know. I can show you which way 'e went in the mornin'. 'E 'asn't been seen for nearly two weeks. 'Eading into the swamp at this time of day is suicide if you don't know it well."
He gets up and goes back to work.
The following morning, after a good night of unbroken sleep and a hearty breakfast, Roland offers to take you to the gate that Rain left through.
As you traverse the city and approach the edge, you become more aware of the fact that the Blackwood Swamp covers every exit of Cassomir, a boggy wetland that Roland warns you is full of danger at every turn.
"I suggest you stick to the main paths, even if you are searching for the little fella. This is the northernmost gate. 'E said 'e was goin' as directly north as 'e could but you'll prob'ly 'ave to spread out a bit to find anything." he says, looking a little worried.
The weather is ok today, a little cloudy but no rain.
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Igaraise gives a grumble and beds down for the night. The next morning they make sure to prepare a spell to make finding their way through the swamp much easier.
The next morning they have a quick breakfast and seem to rush everyone along to get out of the large bustling city. Only once they are out in the wilderness again, do their scales finally start to settle down. Taking a deep breath of the swamp air, they start looking for tracks. "AH, nice lovely rot! Nuthin like it."
2/5 Exploration activities
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"No Rain, indeed", Ysoldt thinks to herself as someone points it out. That's why we are here to begin with.
She notices Roland's reaction to the accusation, and once he escorts the pathfinders to the gate, she approaches him again. "Hey, back there - sorry about that. Our friend is gone. Emotions can be a biii...", she stops. "We're on the edge, okay? Outbursts happen. Thank you for helping.", she waves him as she walks towards the swamp.
The swamp is difficult to track in and it has been sometime since Rain passed by.
It takes more than half a day of searching for tracks before Igaraise eventually finds evidence of the passage of a fungal leshy. Following up on this solitary lead, they then discover a torn piece of cloth with part of a Pathfinder symbol sewn into it. Moments later Lokaloka disappears up to her waist in swampy quicksand!
What do you do?
Many apologies! It should have said Igaraise not Rogar!
Lokaloka is up!
The quicksand is attempting to suck her under!
Initiative order
Lokaloka
Quicksand
Igaraise
Dengar
Thalaasi
Ysoldt
"ACK!! Helps!!"
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Lokaloka tries to swim to what she hopes is the edge of the quicksand...
... but she doesn't do much but splash around. She tries again...
Lokaloka manages to drag herself out of the quicksand onto terra firma.
She again doesn't make any progress other than splashing around and making herself muddier.
Lokaloka's flailing sees her sink up to neck in the quicksand and then she seems to get stuck there.
Lokaloka slips under the surface and starts to hold her breath......