Ensconced in a private meeting room at the famous Farseer Tower in exotic Katapesh, Venture-Captain Wulessa Yuul wastes no time commencing her briefing.
“This has all the makings of a magnificent embarrassment,” she begins sourly. “The Grand Lodge recently sent a delegation to the mansion house of Temel Passad in Kerse. Passad is an enormously wealthy devotee of the Prophecies of Kalistrade, and he happens to possess the only known copy of the Mutani Manual of Martial Mastery in the Inner Sea region. The delegates were tasked with obtaining this rare tome, by either purchasing or leasing it.
By all accounts Passad is a difficult man, but the delegation proved... stupendously inadequate to the task. Not only did they fail to secure the manual, but they also managed to grossly insult the merchant. Two of the representatives were manhandled off the property and taunted by Passad that under no circumstances would he part with the Mutani Manual unless the Society could earn it, challenging us to take it from a hidden location among his many holdings throughout the region. The third delegate, who happens to be one of the foremost experts on all things Tian, was detained by Passad for what he termed ‘an extended conversation on the finer points of ambassadorial etiquette.’ He’s invoked an obscure Druman statute involving foreign embassies, making this kidnapping perfectly legal in his government’s eyes.
The kidnapped delegate, Harmidio Besai, must also be recovered. We don't know which of Passad's many holdings he's keeping Besai and the Manual at, but my informants have good grounds to believe that at least one of our objectives is secured at a manor house not far from here - Ghenett Manor - so that's where I'm sending you.
Do as little damage to the property as possible - we’re not vandals, after all. Also, take nothing else of worth from the place. We’re not common thieves. I cannot stress this strongly enough. Given our already ample embarrassment with Passad, please don’t add to that dishonour by making off with the man’s silverware or his grandmother’s brooch, for Abadar’s bloody sake. No doubt the villa is a sumptuous and tempting target, but you must keep this in the forefront of your minds: The tome and the scholar are all that matter. Everything else is a distraction. The Decemvirate will take a special interest in your conduct on this assignment.
Lastly, we have reason to believe that others are in pursuit of the Mutani Manual, including agents of the Aspis Consortium. Be wary! Under no circumstances can the book fall into the hands of a rival organisation. Now, do you have any questions?”
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I'm Mykel, of the Cassomir Therinors...nice to meet you all. Soo, we retrieve the book and the delegate, don't wreck the place and don't get sticky fingers..about cover it? a young taldan man asks, a sly grin on his face. His sword and gear denote him to be a Taldan swordsman, a rondelero, master of the falcata.
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The aasimar smiled at hearing the mission details. She was attractive, wore no armor and did not carry much in the line of weapons. She was clearly a caster of some sort.
”Finally, an adventure where we try to avoid fighting and common theft. This sounds promising. What else do we know about the manor and the area surrounding it? What can we expect there?”
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Volsung has a slim, athletic build. His skin has a light violet hue, and his hair is metallic gold in color. Finally, and most strikingly, his eyes are a hypnotic, luminescent pale blue. He wears a mithral chain shirt adorned with a black butterfly, and an exceptionally sharp looking rapier hangs at his side. He speaks very quietly but is easily heard above any background noise.
I am called Volsung Dreamseer, and I have some skill with less violent methods of persuasion. I must say the Prophecies of Kalistrade are not my favorite approach to spirituality. They encourage one to behave poorly as this case would seem to indicate. I echo the questions of the lady here. A little more background would be nice. “Sumptuous and tempting” are a little thin on detail.
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Watching from the corner in the shadows, a middling sized person steps out just as the speaking has finished. He pulls back the hood from his dark green cloak revealing a face with Elven features, smiling as he bows. ”Mythryndyr, at your service…but you may call me Myth. It appears this mission fits neatly within my wheelhouse…’tis a shame we’re restricted to just the one item but otherwise suits me well…I can only hope we run into the Aspis,” he finishes with a wicked grin…
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A tengu bows to each person in turn, one hand over his chest, the other arm held perpendicular to his side and his body bending at the waist until his torso is parallel to the ground.
He moves with quick, sure motions, his gaze darting around the room before settling for a moment before darting somewhere else.
The long, curved blade on his back is almost as long as he is tall and the shine of mithral chain peeks out from under his fine clothing. He is wearing a tricorner hat with one long, colorful plume and a much smaller, duller one tucked into the band.
"I am Kahwen. I hope my skills will be useful in this endeavor and won't take anything extra...probably...unless it is shiny," he says.
Quickly he turns to Mykel. "Friend Mykel! It is wonderful to see you again and to be on a mission with you once more."
Venture Captain Yuul nods at Mykel's summary.
"The manor is a modest affair, by Druman standards at least" she adds in response to Reesa. "An ornate stone structure that overlooks the River Scorpius. It’s one or two stories tall at the most, built around a central atrium, like many Katapeshi villas. The grounds are surrounded by a wall. We don’t know the scale or nature of its security. Proceed with caution.”
"If you are versed in the practices of the Prophets, Agent Dreamseer, then you know how highly they prize wealth and the display of wealth. Expect opulence. The holdings of Prophets of Kalistrade, especially those as successful as Temel Passad, make obvious targets for thieves eager to establish reputations and get rich quick. Therefore you might expect sophisticated - and expensive - defences. Passad's precautionary measures may well be deadly, and it's certain he cares nothing for the wellbeing of thieves or other intruders.
Be wary of anything 'shiny' if you value your feathers, Agent Kahwen!"
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A dwarf in full plate armor clanks forward and bows to everyone in the room. On his face you can see a birthmark resembling a butterfly, the holy symbol of Desna.
"Lady Luck's blessing. My name is Grunjar, humble cleric of Desna."
He turns to the M&Ms, smiling.
"Mikey! My! Great to see you again! Removing that linnorm's death curse wasn't a walk in the park for me... But look at you, My, you're in good health!"
Then the dwarf looks at Kahwen while striking his beard thoughtfully.
"Hm... I guess if we run into Aspis - or other - agents, and if they have some shiny things... Well, certainly this Pa-... Pass-... man wouldn't miss any of those, would he?" he says with a wink. "By the way: Please be patient with me if I cannot remember or mangle your name, everyone. I'm really, really bad with names."
Grunjar looks a bit embarrassed.
"I've booked passage for you on a barge set to depart upriver in the morning. It should take ten to twelve hours to reach Ghenett Manor, so you'll have the cover of night when you arrive.
If you've no more questions, then go and get some rest, purchase supplies and make whatever preparations you need."
The Venture-Captain departs after answering your questions.
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In addition to Gather Information, Volsung also has a keen interest in languages.* He’ll practice greeting people in local languages and just generally be curious about how and what people speak.
In terms of the Gather Diplomacy, Volsung will make light conversation about the Prophecies of Kalistrade, particularly about its presence and members locally. He’ll be playing the role of curious traveller, and if anyone ask him about his travels, he’ll happily tell a story or two. Generally, he’s trying to gather information without too much looking like he is gathering information. Perhaps, other members of the party could aid.
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Kahwen isn't even aware that there's any ulterior motive in their walk. He'll chat with Mykel about their experiences in the Gloomspires and any of the other Pathfinders (though he never mentions the Pathfinder Society.)
He'll also chat with any locals if anything he has any knowledge with comes up.
With an evening to yourselves, you decide to explore the sights and sounds of Katapesh and see if you can find out more about the Prophecies of Kalistrade and their adherents.
Katapesh is a wondrous city, where the only law of consequence is "do not interfere with trade." That singular law is enforced ruthlessly by the city's hidden rulers, the Pactmasters. Consequently, every street and square in the city holds a souk, a bazaar, or other trading establishment. Anything that you can imagine - and plenty that you can't - is available for purchase in Katapesh.
The city's most notorious product is pesh - a narcotic made from the fermented milk of certain rare cacti. Pesh addicts flock to Katapesh from around the world to revel in its decadent pesh parlours.
Between the pesh parlours and the information brokers, the curious locals and the experienced travelers, you learn something of the Prophets - or Kalistocrats as they are more formally referred to.
The Prophecies of Kalistrade originated in Druma, the writings of an eccentric mystic in the early days of the Age of Enthronement (several thousand years ago). Today, the Prophets are an organised religion and mercantile organisation, although they follow no god.
Kalistocrats wear white, including long gloves. They eschew physical contact, including sexual contact, with those outside of the cult. In their pursuit of personal wealth above all else, Kalistocrats avoid exhausting their resources and are careful to conserve cash and capital. Though they will make ostentatious display of their wealth, their personal lifestyles are strict and spartan. Their diet is always plain, and it is said that they take pleasure only in their riches. A Kalistocrat never gives anything that they do not feel has been earned - charity is anathema to them - and they cleave closely to laws even while they look for loopholes to exploit.
In Katapesh, the mercantile success of the Kalistocrats is admired but their forsaking of earthly delights is the subject of ridicule.
The following morning you board the river barge, and take a long, slow, and dull cruise upriver until the laconic captain drops you on the shore close to your destination.
The 15-foot tall walls of the manor can be seen through the trees from the river’s edge, capping a low, flat hill to the immediate north. The sun has already set.
A paved path leads towards the estate.
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Kahwen is calm enough during the trip, lounging on deck and watching the shore go by.
He gets much more agitated as they touch ground and he even moves to scout himself until he sees Myth go. For one thing, the man is at least a little stealthier than he is. For another, Kahwen has no skill in tracking or seeing other disturbances that might suggest things like occupancy and patrols.
So, he just paces, stopping every now and then to watch the manor and the woods where Myth disappeared, his feathers ruffling up then settling back down.
Volsung senses nothing of significance. An ordinary embankment, of an ordinary river, with an ordinary path.
Myth slopes off into the dark. The archer returns no more than ten minutes later to report that the manor is hidden behind the walls - confirming that the building is no more than one storey tall. Rows of trees poke over the top of the wall, though not so close as to enable any easy climb. The outer walls are made of polished stone, and although a skilled climber could no doubt manage them they offer no purchase, so it would be difficult for the inexperienced. At the eastern end of the estate, an iron gate stands wide open. Just inside the gate, somebody sits on a stool watching the entrance. Myth is sure he wasn't noticed by the seated figure.
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I could suggest to this fellow at the gate that he let us through. I would slip up to him with vanish, affix him with a stare, followed by the suggestion. It would be nice to begin this affair with a minimum of violence and noise, no?
Also Kahwen, would you allow me to implant a false flanker in your mind? If you move next to someone you would like flanked, just cry out "two of me," and I will have a duplicate of you appear upon their flank.
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"That would be most appreciated Friend Volsung!" Kahwen says.
"But perhaps we can avoid the guard entirely? I'm sure Myth or I could climb the wall and tie off a rope. Then those who are less skilled in climbing could use the rope. We could go over the back wall instead of the front that way he doesn't even know we're here."
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Myth nods at Kahwen’s plan. ”Aye, I have a rope and grappling hook…I can sneak up to the wall, climb up, take a look around, and wave everyone up, if it’s clear…we can still smack the guard when we climb down, if needed…”
If everyone is in agreement, Myth will sneak up to the wall at a healthy distance from the guard…
…toss the grappling hook with the rope attached…
…climb up…
…and take a look around…
With practiced ease, Myth disappears into the darkness. Out of view of the gate, and hopefully out of earshot, he hooks a grapnel over the wall and scales the rope. Perched on the wall, he looks out over the gardens.
The pathfinders gather near the wall...