"He did what!?!" Sergeant Drussem is shocked to hear about Morgroar's actions, as the party relays the story of their spelunking through the Bullette tunnel and into the warrens below "What else did you find?" curious and somewhat scandalized by what the the party brings to light, she listens to all the evidence they have gathered...
...the conversation is long...
...finally, she offers the following council "Alright - I see that you are building your Case, and that you are willing to follow the camp's Tenets of Negotiation" she looks at Cookie here "You are the group's Prolocutor" then at Duvik, Redd, and Ulrich "And you are the Prolocutor's Arsenal" finally to everyone "My advice is to itemize your Grievances and Evidence into a speech for Cookie to deliver to Lieutenant Eloqi - and to be prepared for the rebuttal he will face when Raike refutes the claims" she pauses to think here... a beat... then "Steel yourselves Pathfinders, for as we don our Words, we wade into War!"
The party spends the next hour or so putting their Case and Evidence together, preparing for the Return to Negotiations!
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Cookie starts making the list.
1) There is a scroll that the Aspis gave Morgroar. We have deciphered part of it, and believe we can decipher the rest once we have the key text. we believe it contains more evidence.
2) The Aspis conspired with Morgroar to force Greeleep to work for them.
3) They planned and implemented the Bullette attack on the Hobgoblins.
4) Using a magic fedish that "offers a measure of control over the inscribed species - it was how the Aspis were able to subdue the beasts with little difficulty - staging their role as saviors of the camp - it's been planned for months now..."
5) Morgroar Bullies the camp cook Oltug a person he should owe a life debt to for killing a wolf that would have killed Morgroar.
6) Greeleep is a kobold who the Aspis passed off as their halfing servent. On the threat of death to him and his remaining kin. The forced him to raise and release the Bullette.
Anything else? more notes?
Sergeant Drussem watches as Cookie makes his list, butting in a little.
1) There is a scroll that the Aspis gave Morgroar. We have deciphered part of it, and believe we can decipher the rest once we have the key text. we believe it contains more evidence.
"I assume this scroll somehow came into your possession?"
2) The Aspis conspired with Morgroar to force Greeleep to work for them.
"And just who will testify to this end?"
3) They planned and implemented the Bullette attack on the Hobgoblins.
"Do you have any proof to substantiate your claim?"
4) Using a magic fedish that "offers a measure of control over the inscribed species - it was how the Aspis were able to subdue the beasts with little difficulty - staging their role as saviors of the camp - it's been planned for months now..."
"I presume you have this fetish in your possession to confirm it's alleged power?"
5) Morgroar Bullies the camp cook Oltug a person he should owe a life debt to for killing a wolf that would have killed Morgroar.
"Will Oltug agree to come forward? - besides - what does being a bully have to do with the Contract Negotiation? Morgroar is a valued member of this camp!"
6) Greeleep is a kobold who the Aspis passed off as their halfing servent. On the threat of death to him and his remaining kin. The forced him to raise and release the Bullette.
"Again I ask you - will this Greeleep come forward?"
Though her counterpoints might at first seem antagonistic, it soon becomes clear that Sergeant Drussem wants the best outcome for the Pathfinders, making sure they follow the proper protocols towards making their Best Case!
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"I assume this scroll somehow came into your possession?"
"Yeah Morgroar lost it, we had to decipher it meaning to know that it was his letter."
He wonders for a moment
"Raike spilled a chalice before the battle, during combat I realized that it was blood. Then when we analyzed the bodies, Redd found that they got pheromones to make them more aggressive, and some got venom. In the caves down, we found substance consisting of Halfling blood and other sunstances. Raike spilled the substance to lure the beasts out, then they used venom and this charm, that we have right here, to beat them easily." deduct Ulrich
"Yeah we need to ask kobold to testify."
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"I presume you have this fetish in your possession to confirm it's alleged power?"
Redd steps forward, holding the talisman out which is on a length of twine around her neck.
"Oh, yes. I spent much of yesterday and all of today attuning the fetish to myself and making it look like a little squirrel. Watch this..."
With a handful of freshly picked berries and acorns from near the camp, she coaxes a squirrel down from a nearby tree. After giving the squirrel a treat from her hand, she holds out a little daisy chain wreath and magically influences the squirrel to hop back and forth through the hoop as she waves her other hand to and fro.
She looks up at Drussem with a proud smile.
"See? There's the proof this thing can control creatures. I can now get squirrels to do my bidding with this fetish. The Aspis attuned it to the Buletts. That's why they had such an easy time defeating them."
Drussem considers the plan - then with some surprise, poses the question "Speaking of Morgroar - what did you all do with him? Please don't tell me you..." she can't even bother to finish the sentence!
Drussem - who does not laugh at Redd's joke but responds "Probably best to leave him for now" nods and the party finishes putting together their Case for Cookie to deliver and sort how to keep Greeleep protected. And though the morning comes fast, everyone goes through their morning routines.
And shortly after sunrise, the Trade Talks reconvene. As before, Raike arrives with her fellow Aspis bodyguards ahead of the scheduled meeting time. As before, Drussem and the other hobgoblin security forces spread out throughout the meeting hall and await the Lieutenant’s commands - except, of course, the Master Sergeant, Morgroar, who is conspicuously missing! And as before, the hobgoblin soldiers quietly usher the PCs (plus Greeleep) and remaining Aspis agents into the meeting hall. Eloqi turns to the party’s prolocutors and directs them to speak their piece.
"Thank you one and all for your flexibility in extending our Negotiations to this day in light of recent attacks upon our camp. We are now ready to resume. But first, it has come to my attention that the Pathfinders have a Case to bring forward that pertains to the integrity of our Trade Talks here. Please Pathfinders, make your Case!"
All eyes - including Raike's confidently contemptuous smile (but who has yet to spot Greeleep) - fall upon Cookie and Redd!
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Cookie stands up and paces back and forth as he presents the evidence.
”After the unexpected Bullet attack upon the center of camp, we took it upon ourselves to delve into the tunnels below tracing the creatures back to their source, in hopes to prevent further attacks.”
”Following the tracks, We found a chamber which we believe is below this main hall, which served as the creatures’ lair. We found the remaining bullet egg still guarded by a mysterious cloaked figure and some giant ants within the filth. In the ensuing battle, we defeated the pests and the egg guardian..”
”The attack was planned and carried out by parties wishing to create an incident under their control thereby influencing the negotiations..”
”In the cavern, we found residue of a dark liquid substance which Ulrich determined was some sort of alchemical attractant consisting of halfling blood and other substances. .”
”We also found on the body of the guardian a charm that Redd confirmed protects the wearer against attacks from bullet type of creatures and allows the wearer to influence that creature..”
”In addition, when Redd examined the bullet bodies after the attack we found evidence of
pheromones causing the musky odor emanating from the bodies a clear sign that they’ve been alchemically enhanced. Male bulettes exposed to the scent would have grown more aggressive and been attracted to the smell. Some of the creatures also show signs of having ingested a time-released, alchemical poison containing hunting spider venom, which would have made the creatures eventually grow clumsy and sluggish as they fought..”
”Now all of the evidence We have presented so far only proves that the attack was not random, but a coldly calculated planned attack by one or more individuals!.”
”Prior to the attack someone would have had to spread the attractant made of halfing blood. At the start of the first meeting, one individual did spill a goblet of blood nearly catching me in the splash. At the time I thought it was just an attempted insult..”
”That same individual also wore a Fetish charm similar to the one we found on the guardian.”
”Still, this is not enough evidence in itself, but we also have the egg Guardian who was forced under duress to participate in the plan. He is willing to testify to the evidence presented so far as well as to his part and against those who forced him to cooperate with the plan by threatening the lives of his family. Primarily he will testify to how Raike and the Aspis Consortium were able to subdue the beasts with little difficulty - staging their role as saviors of the camp - it's been planned for months now..."
Turning to Raike, ”Let me introduce Greeleep a Kobold of the Coalfire from the Mindspind Mountains. You may have known him as Raike’s halfling assistant. ”
There is an collective audible gasp as the crowd takes in the potential implications of what Cookie just said!
Raike - breaking protocol - her eyes raised in fear upon seeing Greeleep - attempts to cow him from speaking - while also interrupting to defend her honor.
"Slander and deceit. Good Lieutenant Eloqi - can you not see that these weak-bodied pathfinders have yet to offer proof of any wrong-doing? I think not. And notwithstanding, their slithering around camp, like , further testifies to the ill character to match the disproportion of their allegations. What evidence have you, kobold, or are we to understand that it is only your own accounts, conspired in cowardice, that you have to posit, with which to substantiate your outrageous claims!" The attempt at gas-lighting the entire camp is practiced, methodical, and cunning!
There is a second gasp as the crowd takes in the potential implications of what Raike just said!
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➤The DC for this Skill Challenge is to Request to settle the Trade Contract in favor of the Pathfinder Sociery
➤It will use the SOP we established here!
➤Non-Prolocutors have two choices: 1) non-verbal Aid attempt using your creativity. Or, 2) Instead, attempt a Secret Perception check by Spoilering the roll!
➤Either way, each player can roll a single check (including Hero Points), no more.
Good Luck!
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Duvik's not a lawyer. Duvik doesn't know the word lawyer. All this tikky-tack talking and evidence isn't how its done in the Bear Snare tribe, and Duvik Nuuk was the champion of the Bear Snare tribe back in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. He had done his part by keeping Morgroar from killing all of them - at least that was honorable before Gorum - but he knew an attempt at getting someone to not talk when he saw it. If she was gonna intimidate their witness, he'd have to intimidate the witness even more. Duvik would make Greelep more scared of him than Greleep was scared of some Aspis functionary, with his terrible glare.
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Redd, the Second Prolocutor, confidently steps forward. She's very impressed with how Cookie presented all of the evidence. She tries her best to follow suit, offering up as much of the same information that she can in her own words.
She also offers the talisman fetish as evidence, explaining how it pacifies creatures associated with it. She also offers a friendly smile at Greeleep, hoping it will calm his nerves when he gets up to testify against the Aspis.
She then mutters a small hymn to Chaldira, hoping the best for her companions.
And she hopes to not get ill from all the stress of being Second Prolocutor.
Greeleep - - betwixt a cruel captain in control of his family and a slightly-unhinged goblin killer - is nearly crushed by the unstoppable force of Raike's stranglehold and the immovable object of Duvik's implied menace ... and having been called forward, hesitates now, reluctance gripping his every muscle, damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't!
Sweat pours from his brow on this chilly morning - with every passing second - each feeling like an entire week - his stress grows in proportion!!!
But then he hears the soft song in the background - coming from the real halfling!? Is she singing!?!?! - and he allows himself to be carried aloft...
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Starsong’s Fortune boon (from Playtest)
As Raike’s words sweetly play to the audience, Cookie feels them collectively fall for the Aspis Consortium's devious lies despite his words of truth.
He thinks for a moment that if they are going to so blindly fall for her deceptions that they truly deserve their fate, but No Pathfinders would not let allies fall without exhausting all options.
Closing his eyes the little dragon prays to any god listing to not let the hobgoblin's fate be poisoned by the Aspis bite. Holding his breath he waits for a sign.
After a long moment, a single butterfly flutters into the camp on what appears to be a random path until it lands on Cookie's snout. While butterflies are not unknown, they are exceedingly rare in the cold mountain air. The small kobold wonders if this is a sign from the Desna Goddess of Fortune.
Taking a chance, Cookie points to the Butterfly, ” Nature’s message was always there and for us to see. It was written on the wings of butterflies.”
Nat 20
Feeling the audience's attitude shift in the pathfinder's favor, Cookie marvels at the Butterfly and wonders how long the Lady of luck has been watching over him.
- Advancing suddenly on Cookie, she draws her Retribution Axe and looks to make a wild swing - but is soon restrained by the many guards holding the meeting place secure yelling her claims at the party's Prolocutor, only to fall upon deaf ears, as somehow, the Butterfly choosing the brave kobold was sufficient to lend unexpected veracity to the Pathfinders case.
Raising his hand, Eloqi speaks "Please take her back to her Lodging, and Oversee her immediate Dismissal from our camp - for it is at her Orchestration that our brothers and sisters had been needlessly Slaughtered - but do not kill her - that is not our way!" his command is immediately met, as the faces of many nearby soldiers turn suddenly stern, dealing now with a known-murderous criminal, and charged with her immediate merciful ejection.
Critical Success The PC convinces Eloqi to execute an exclusive trade agreement with the Pathfinder Society to the exclusion of the Aspis Consortium.
Turning to the party "We shall arrange a feast in your name - but first, do share with us the fate of Master Sergeant Morgroar - and what of this conspiracy you uncovered? Do you again have evidence to substantiate your claim?"
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Ulrich takes a step forwards and says
"We found a letter, that we believe was written by Raike to Master Sergeant Morgroar. We were unable to decipher it all, but we believe that in it Raike offered an alliance with Morgroar. On top of that, when we walked through the tunnels and found Greeleep, Morgroar surprised and attacked us. We were able to beat him and tie him, he is in the tunnels below. He was certain that Aspis will get the deal and Morgroar would replace you Lieutenant." says gnome
"We believe that there is a book given to him from Aspis that would allow deciphering the message, it may be in Sergeant's belongings. Red book."
Eloqi sends some soldiers down to retrieve Morgroar - who is indeed still tied up below the camp, and looking worse for wear, does come clean about his part in the plot, even without needing to rummage through his belongings - a practice that is greatly discouraged! - and he finds himself stripped of his rank and demoted to the camp cook - where correspondingly, Oltug is promoted from the position, the entire affair shedding new light on his own deeds, which so acknowledged, are rewarded in due proportion.
His final act as chef, in fact, is to cook a great feast in the honor of the pathfinders, spiced meats and boiled vegetables, as well as a special fermented pickle "cider", which has the following effect on those that drink it:
Roll a Fortitude save vs DC 18 or vomit and sickened for 3d6 minutes!
Perhaps the tastiest beverage you have ever enjoyed!
Roll a Fortitude save vs DC 18 or vomit and sickened for 3d6 minutes!
Roll a Fortitude save vs DC 18 or vomit and sickened for 3d6 minutes!
The following morning, Raike has 24 hours been run out of camp, and Morgroar seems to have fled in the night, and the pathfinder pack their things for the long trek down the mountains...
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...What new Business Opportunities will the Exclusive Contract yield?...
...Is this the last the party will hear from Artennod Raike?...
...Or the former Master Sergeant Morgroar?...