[PFS1] 7-03 The Bronze House Reprisal (GM Watery Soup) (Inactive)

Game Master Watery Soup

Just needed one.

Melnat sighs and begins confessing. She received her orders directly from Sloan and can provide details about the layout of Bronze House and where they keep the illegal goods, as well as security in place. More on that below. With her cooperation, the Pathfinders have the proof they need of Consortium involvement.

Kasadei arrives and her team secures the dig site; she congratulates the Pathfinders for neither killing all the Aspis agents nor resorting to cruelty or tortue.

---

Back at the Lodge, the Venture-Officers congratulate the Pathfinders, but warn there is still much more work to be done. Lady Heidmarch formally asks Lord Deverin to obtain a warrant to raid the Bronze House to look for additional evidence of illegal activity and recover looted Thassilonian treasures. As soon as he departs, Lady Heidmarch turns to the Pathfinders and tells them to plan quickly and move immediately. She points out that Sloan can quash any open investigation within minutes with the Lord-Mayor’s aid, so after the Pathfinders are discovered, there's a limited time before the city guard arrives.

The following options are discussed:

1. The Pathfinders may enter Bronze House, display their credentials, and demand to search the premises. This is the most direct approach, but will have the shortest lead time before the watch appears.
2. The Pathfinders may attack or sneak into Bronze House, without displaying their credentials. This will buy some time before Pathfinders are discovered to be working for the Council - however, the Council could be embarassed if the Pathfinders are caught. Lady Heidmarch advocates this approach.
3. The Pathfinders may pose as merchants. This may require some additional social manouvering after access is granted since merchants aren't usually let into high risk areas. Kasadei advocates this approach.
4. The Pathfinders may disguise themselves as teamsters to access the warehouses from the rear entrance. This would mean that the Pathfinders may be subjected to manual labor, though, before they can get a chance to slip away.

Kasadei is impressed by the Pathfinders' behavior so far - she offers her help slowing down the Lord Mayor’s guards once the Pathfinders begin their raid on the Bronze House, regardless of which route they choose.

Kasadei estimates the Lord-Mayor’s guards’ response time to an alert at 10 minutes (give or take a few minutes), and combat or fire would draw in the local patrols sooner. Kasadei provides the Pathfinders with a city watch signal whistle and instructs them how to use it. If the Pathfinders use the whistle, guard patrols will respond quickly, believing another guard patrol is in danger.

From Melnat, the Pathfinders would have learned that there are 12 guards in the building, who patrol regularly. In addition, the leader, Elysi Crispin, a half-elf, has augmented her team with a pair of angelic guardians from the Golemworks, and an invisible stalker.

See Slide 6.

Melnat has given a rough map to the Pathfinders. The building is U-shaped with large warehouses on either wing, and the main entrance where the wings meet. Both wings have office space - one for Sloan, and one for everyone else. The office spaces likely contain incriminating documents. The warehouses can only be accessed from the outside, although, Melnat notes that the smaller warehouse to the south appears much smaller from the inside than the outside, and thinks there may be a secret warehouse hidden.

The sides of the building are 15 feet high, and not easy to climb. DC 25 Climb

The people working within the Bronze House are a mix of kept in the dark, willfully ignorant, and actively involved with the Aspis Consortium. They are likely to have emergency procedures such as destroying incriminating records and locking interior doors if they suspect they are being raided.

---

While waiting for the warrant, the Pathfinders Gather Information (Diplomacy or Knowledge (loacl)) about the Bronze House.

Diplomacy (gather information): 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (5) + 26 = 31

Offering the gnome a winning smile, the enchantress thanks her for her cooperation.

After the debriefing with the Venture-Captain, Ansha volunteers, "I think I could get us in by posing as a merchant, easily enough. I hear the Consortium crossed the Princess of the Market, too. I think we can probably enlist her help with this, given the chance for a bit of revenge."

The elven information broker pauses, then adds, "I also happen to know of a way to distract the guards. A...friend, shall we say."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23

Kits efforts do not produce as much as Ansha's so she decides to follow her lead.

"Oooh. Revenge? Posing as merchants? A noisy distraction? Sounds like fun. And, no surprise, I happen to have a nice kit here to help. Anyone want a beard?"

Git pulls a realistic looking beard from her disguise kit, until she puts it up against her own chin upon which it most definitely does not look realistic.

The disguise kit has 8 uses left. Feel free to use one if you intend to try disguising yourself.

"Merchants? Sure. Sounds like the best way to go. I've acted as the muscle of a merchant caravan before. Should be no problem. I'll just follow everyone's lead. As long as we can take down this Aspis operation, and Sloan, I'm all in."

Rakesh finds the dwarf-like beard that Kit is offering to be quite intriguing. The nagaji then realizes how ridiculous he would look with a beard.
"As amusing as it may seem, I don't think a beard would look good on me."

Eh? Meself already gots a beard. But maybe ya gots one not teal?

Belike kin act tha part of merchant fer while.

Decent appraise to price stuff. High alchemy, so maybe I could be there to evaluate any alchemical things? No social skills though so I should probably let you others do the talking.

Kit lets her serious look slide into a sly grin when, duh!, none of the PCS take her up on the offer of a beard. She does,, however, attach a mini beard to the finger puppet of Rakesh, just to see how it would look.

Rakesh busts out a hearty laugh.
"HAHAHAHA!!!"

Looking at the finger puppet, he shakes his head and taps his claw gently on top of the puppet's head.
"Cute, Kit. Verrry cute. But, uh, no. I'm not wearing a beard."

Neither am I...Kyra says as she thinks of a look to go with for the disguise.

The elven enchantress raises an eyebrow at the offered beard. "I don't think I'd look good in a beard," she says wryly. "Anyway, if there are no objections, I have a couple of contacts to run down while we get ready for our little foray."

Not sure if you want to RP it out, WaterySoup, but in the interests of not hogging the spotlight completely, here's a couple of Diplomacy checks to represent Ansha's efforts to get the Princess of the Market and the Night Scales on our side. Ansha's quite willing to just let the Night Scales copy the writ.

Diplomacy vs Princess of the Market: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (5) + 26 = 31
Diplomacy vs Night Scales: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (4) + 26 = 30

Yeesh, what low rolls.

Sabriyya Kalmeralm readily give tips on how to pose as merchants. No check required.

"I like you," she says to Ansha. "If you ever get bored of the Pathfinder Society, there's always a place in the Market for you."

---

The Night Scales are far more transactional than Sabriyya. "We don't have any linguists, and we need one of you to put the signature on our page."

DC 25 Linguistics check required, not just access to the writ.

---

When everyone is ready, I'll need a Bluff check from everyone - Sabriyya's bonus is a +5 untyped bonus, and the Disguise Kit is a +2 circumstance bonus.

Let meself be seein tha. Drinks heroism extract then gives it a look see.
linguistics: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 2 = 17

If we have time, I can fill and empty second level slot with Investigative Mind. Gives me a second roll.
linguistics 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 2 = 25
Which just succeeds.

...
Heroism, Sabriyya's help, disguise kit.
bluff disguise: 1d20 - 1 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) - 1 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 12
For whoever gets the worst disguise result (likely me). Might be better if I just go invisible and follow along silently.

Kyra tries her hand at disguising herself.

disguise: 1d20 + 2 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 5 + 2 = 12

At the meeting with Sabriyya:

Ansha smiles at the offer. "If I decide to settle down in one place for more than a span or two of time, you'll be the first to know," she says with a wink.

-------------------------

At the meeting with the Night Scales, presumably before Ehm makes his attempts at forgery:

"Ah, right. Well, I'm sure we can pull it off," the elven enchantress says, looking to her comrades. "Anyone want to take them up on the attempt?"

-------------------------

After her plans have been set in motion, Ansha looks herself over. Silky platinum-blond mane. Svelte figure. Revealing outfit. She looked good, if she did say so herself. Then again, maybe not quite what a merchant looks like.

With a few arcane words, she places a glamour over herself, remaking her attire, if not her appearance--she was far too vain to go letting anyone forget about her--and stands ready to go. For some reason, Ansha's standard prepared spell list includes Disguise Self, though I'm not sure if that bonus stacks with the Disguise Kit.

Bluff: 1d20 + 26 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 26 + 5 = 48
Disguise: 1d20 + 10 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 10 = 32 (Add a further 2 if the Disguise Kit bonus stacks with Disguise Self.)

"Actually, Kit, do you have a dark mustache in that bag of disguises? Something like Ambrus Valsin's?"

Bluff & bonuses: 1d20 + 1 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 1 + 7 = 24

After donning the thick mustache, Rakesh smiles seductively into the little mirror that Kit gives him.
"Splendid. That will surely attract the ladies."
He hands the mirror back to kit.
"Those Aspis will also have no idea that it is I, Rakesh, The Great Aspis Hunter."

untrained and useless in linguistics. I have a feeling most parties fail that one.

bluff, Sabriyya, disguise kit: 1d20 + 23 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 23 + 5 + 2 = 39

Kit is able to rummage up some stuff more useful that a beard, including turbans, ladies gloves, a pipe and tobacco, and various odds and ends that merchants tend to wear or enjoy.

Let me know if you do NOT take advantage of the kit so I can subtract the right amount of uses, which will be 6 if everyone does.

Roderick has a full beard and accepts help to don a disguise. He already looks rather merchantly, so may not need to change much.

Selling alchemical goods IS my hobby when not on missions with the Society, after all. he states plainly while puffing his pipe.

I can provide total invisibility for a short while if we need it.

The Aspis Consortium’s base of operations in Magnimar is quietly grand. Built near the city’s founding, before the city forbade quarrying the Irespan, the structure consists entirely of Irespan basalt. Two long buildings flank a thirty-foot-tall rotunda and a small park.

See Slide 6, although we're not in rounds so you can move yourselves around pretty freely and I've opened up the room to the south (offices) but not the room the north (Sloan's office).

Massive bronze double doors decorated with serpent motifs serve as the imposing front entrance to the Bronze House. Voices echo around this grand hall, diminishing the speaker beneath the chamber’s scale. Two pairs of smaller doors lead north and south, while two terrace doors lead west.

A clerk sits at a desk and inquires, "Do you have a bill of lading for your goods, or do you need one?"

He is flanked by two bored-looking guards. Another 4 sit in the corner, playing some kind of dice game. Another one sits alone, eating a sandwich in the corner.

Other merchants mill about, waiting for their turn to get paid. Every once in a while, someone comes out of the offices and calls another group in.

A clerk sits at a desk and inquires, "Do you have a bill of lading for your goods, or do you need one?"

I guess that is a question only you, the GM, can answer. What kind of paperwork did Sabriyya provide?

Rakesh presses a finger against his mustache to make sure it's still stuck below his nostrils. He then nudges Roderick and speaks quietly in Draconic out of the corner of his mouth.
"What kind of cargo are we carrying? Where's the cargo we're supposed to have?"

"Need one," Ansha says, affecting an authoritative brook-no-questions tone with the clerk. "So hop to it. And do hurry it up--time is money."

The enchantress looks around the office, gauging where they need to go and plotting the next course of action in her head. "Actually, is Sloan in? Or no, probably best if I talk to one of his assistants first. Are the accountants this way?" she asks, heading for one of the southern doors as she continues to address the clerk who had spoken to them as they entered.

Bluff: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (16) + 26 = 42 Not sure if the +5 from Sabriyya counts there or not, but if it does, add 5.

Roderick looks at Rakesh then nods to Ansha.

She has the right of it. We track the inventory but she is managing director.

"Besides, I would just HATE to be late to the play tonight. This won't take long, will it?"

Auto aid on bluff.

Ehm just follows along trying to look the part of a bored guard.

"Need one," Ansha says, affecting an authoritative brook-no-questions tone with the clerk. "So hop to it. And do hurry it up--time is money."

The enchantress looks around the office, gauging where they need to go and plotting the next course of action in her head. "Actually, is Sloan in? Or no, probably best if I talk to one of his assistants first. Are the accountants this way?" she asks, heading for one of the southern doors as she continues to address the clerk who had spoken to them as they entered.

The clerk, used to dealing with primadonna merchants such as this haughty elf, sighs and escorts the Pathfinders into the southern office.

Desks and benches line this chamber, covered with parchment, ink, and quills. She shows the Pathfinders to a table and assures them someone will meet with them shortly. She then leaves.

---

Okay, the way this works is going to be a little PF2-like. Each "round" will represent 1 minute of time - you can pick a room to search or a door to open, and I'll list the checks available to search that room. At some point, people will try to catch you snooping, so with every check make a Bluff of Sleight of Hand check (most of the time it won't be used but that one time you roll a nat 1 will be the time, obviously). You can move your icon to a room or door to indicate where you want to search.

And obviously, your icon placement is important because if you're caught, we'll begin combat and roll for initiative from wherever you're searching.

To search the office area you're currently in, you will need to make a Linguistics or Profession (merchant) check.

--Minute 1
Ansha
Ehm
Kitoro
Kyra
Rakesh
Roderick

Kit immediately rushes off to try the first door in the hallway. She sends Harris (her invisible Pooka familiar) to stand watch by the cracked door to the room with the receptionist.

Roderick considered taking out his pipe for a quick puff, but thinks better.

Best keep it for after. Not much I can do in this office...

He instead mixes an elixir of investigative mind and looks for a room to search, passing Kit towards the door to the north of the hall.

He checks the door for traps/locks and then opens, if clear.

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Ansha quietly shoos the others toward the hallway after the clerk has left. Continuing to affect the mannerisms of a bored diva, she idly saunters over to an interesting-looking sheaf of papers and rifles through them.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Are there any staff in the rooms on this southern half of the complex--either the rooms the others are searching, or the office we were left in?

Kyra scoots down the hallway to help Kitoro search the next area.

can't really help where i am...moving to back up Kitoro....double move btw

When the coast is clear, Rakesh quickly moves to the barred door in the southern portion of the room. He checks to see if it's trapped or locked, and, if so, quickly gets to work with his lock picks.
search traps: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
"Ha! Got it!"
He exclaims quietly.

He quickly moves in and takes a look around, rifling through any documents to try to find any incriminating evidence.

buffs:
False Life - dur 8 hours
Heroism - dur 80 min
Investigative Mind - dur 80 min
Heightened Awareness - dur 80 min
Invisibility - dur 8 min
HP: 84 of 86

GM, has it been more than 80 minutes since the meeting with the Nightscales? If yes, the Heroism and Investigative Mind have worn off. If no, they are still up.

Ehm gets out a couple of vials and drinks them down.
Invisibility and Heightened Awareness
Then moves down the hallway past Kitoro and Kyra. He listens at the doors prior to opening either of them.
perception south door: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 17 + 2 = 20
perception north door: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 17 + 2 = 30
stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 20 = 35

GM, correct me if I'm wrong, but the round-ish room is the one that has the receptionist and guards. Correct?

Kitoro opens a door, into the dormitory area. Aspis agents returned from the field or workers that stay late rest here. The clerks keep the beds relatively clean. Chairs and a small card table occupy the center of the room. She searches the room for a minute but finds nothing.

Roderick opens a door, into a small kitchen that houses a fireplace and stove. A collection of plates and utensils rests on a preparation table. A cabinet holds smoked meats and dried vegetables. He searches the room for a minute but finds nothing.

Ansha rifles through some papers, discreetly since there are several clerks about. There's a lot of very boring accounting.

Rakesh goes to the gate and pulls out his lockpicks, surreptitiously picking the lock. It does not open. Sorry, failure on the Disable check. It's a very good lock.

Ehm goes down to the corridor and listens at the doors - nothing can be heard. But both doors are locked when he tries. Yes, more than 80 minutes has passed (several hours, actually). And yes, the round room has the receptionist and guards.

Ehm tries the door at the end of the corridor, which opens, but only into another short hallway with two other doors. Ehm and Kyra can pick rooms to explore.

--Minute 1
Ansha
Ehm
Kitoro
Kyra
Rakesh
Roderick

Oops! Yeah. I shouldn't jump the gun like that and assume my rolls are good enough. Sorry!

Rakesh's eyes widen when the lock clicks but doesn't release.
"Darn it. I thought I had it. That last tumbler is tricky. I'll need a key to get in here."
He says quietly as he still scrutinizes the lock, oblivious to whether Ansha is listening or not.
He stands and heads to the hallway to meet up with the others.

No problem. It would have opened many locks in this place, just not that one. heh, heh

buffs:
Heightened Awareness - dur 80 min
Invisibility - dur 8 min
HP: 84 of 86

I disembodied voice mutters, These 2 doors are locked but quiet. I will see about opening them.

disable device south door: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34
disable device north door: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
stealth: 1d20 + 7 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 20 = 31

Kyra scans the room, looking for magical auras.

detect magic...just in case it wasn't clear...lol

perc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5just in case

Ehm opens the southern door. I will keep your roll for the northern door next turn.

This is a two-part room, with an office in the front and some quarters in the back. The nameplate on the desk identifies the office as Elysi Crispin's.

Ehm looks through the cabinet, which contains payroll records for the staff and guards. He locates (1) a set of keys, and (2) a list of locations that includes Heidmarch Manor.

Any of you can attempt:

In the desk, he finds a hidden compartment, in it a notebook containing records of bribes to city guards.

The bedroom in the back is cheery and decorated with poisonous flowers. A small chest containing clothes and silk sheets sits near the bed. The chest also contains a handful of smashed wayfinders wrapped in gold and black ribbon.

---

Kyra does not detect magic.

---

A half-elf woman comes through the main door, flanked by two angelic constructs.

"Why is my door open?" she demands, glaring around the room. The staff appear to be terrified of her and nobody says anything.

Not in initiative, but nobody should move their icons until it's clear a fight won't break out.

Didn't Harris provide a warning? He was waiting there on watch by the cracked door invisible as per this post.

buffs:
Heightened Awareness - dur 80 min
Invisibility - dur 8 min
HP: 84 of 86

knowledge local: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 17 + 2 = 25

Barely breathing, Ehm will only move as necessary to stay out of their way.

stealth: 1d20 + 7 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 20 = 32

Regardless of whether everyone had a warning: Ansha immediately intercepts the half-elf, bombarding her with questions and complaints in an effort to deflect attention from her compatriots' snooping. "Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear from Sloan about that shipment?! I am a very busy woman, and I don't appreciate these delays! I was supposed to be halfway to Korvosa by now! I had my staff go looking for you because the service here is execrable. Now, what are you going to do about my shipping delays? I demand compensation!"

Bluff: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (4) + 26 = 30

If necessary, she'll cast Deflect Blame (DC22) via Covert Spells and retry her Bluff if it doesn't seem like the half-elf is buying it.

Covert Spells Bluff: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (8) + 26 = 34
Covert Spells Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
Bluff attempt to distract: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (12) + 26 = 38

If she has to cast Deflect Blame, her Subtle Enchantments feat also applies.

My apologies - Kitoro did set up a sentry. The half-elf and guards do appear, but they haven't seen the open door yet. Does that change anyone's reactions? You can meet them in the lobby if you wish.

Kit is the first to know as the empathic link between her and Harris sends a surge of alarm to her. She quickly makes her way way to the door, calling out, "We've got company."

She slips into the lobby and smiles warmly.

"Ah, I see you have finally found a break in your busy schedule? May I ask what was the hold up?"

diplomacy, heroism: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 21 + 2 = 38

The half-elf looks very skeptical of Ansha's words; but Ansha casts Deflect Blame, which appears to have gone unnoticed. The half-elf mumbles an apology, and says she's not in charge of logistics, only security.

She and the guards meander off, leaving the Pathfinders to continue their search.

--Minute 3
Ansha
Ehm
Kitoro
Kyra
Rakesh
Roderick

Ansha huffs and goes back into the room, surreptitiously waving whatever companions are visible back to their searching. "I can't believe the stunts they try to pull," she huffs again, for the benefit of any Aspis staff in earshot. "Keeping an important personage like me waiting. Really."

Rakesh exhales a sigh of relief as the guards exit the area. He wipes the sweat from his brow and checks to make sure his fake mustache is still in place.
"Whew. Good going, ladies. I thought for sure we were about to get in big trouble."
Rakesh turns and heads to the door at the end of the hall.
"I'll check the doors down here. I'm pretty sure Ehm went this way."
He stops at the open door to the south, then turns to check the northern door. He twists the knob and realizes that it's locked. He pulls out his lock picks and gets to work.
"I sure wish I had some keys. There's gotta be some keys around here."
He mumbles as he picks the lock.
(Hint, hint, Ehm).
Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
(If a failure, attempts to pick lock again).
Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

"And I'll give this door here a look."

Kit heads to the west door and tries to open it, leaving Harris on watch. If it is locked she will do her own lockpicking thing.

disable, heroism: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 2 = 24

Has the heroism expired yet?

Roderick moves to the hall intersection, just to act as a lookout for any more visitors.

Aye what have we found here.

He will look in the south room and listen for footsteps outside.

perception,cues: 1d20 + 12 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 12 + 5 = 33

Perhaps if you concentrate, Sarenrae might show you the way... Kyra says as she touches Rakesh's shoulder. He feels guided.

cast guidance...lol...might help with your next roll

buffs:
Heightened Awareness - dur 80 min
Invisibility - dur 8 min
HP: 84 of 86

Giving a silent prayer of thanks for the ladies keeping the Aspis out of the offices, Ehm grabs the notebook, map, and smashed wayfinders. He stuffs them in his haversack, exits the room, relocks it, and moves toward the door on the north side of the hall.

If that's too many actions, just use the rest of it for my next turn.

All minute-level buffs should still be up.

Because each "round" is 1 minute, everyone attempting to Disable Device can make 10 attempts. Rakesh's first two attempts did not work, nor did Kitoro's first attempt.

For those that posted but didn't specify an action, please specify a room to search.

--Minute 3
Ansha
Ehm
Kitoro
Kyra
Rakesh
Roderick

Ansha makes another attempt to search the office they were ushered into, just to be thorough.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26