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An elusive enemy of the Society has launched a campaign of espionage and intrigue from Stonespine Island, the homeport of the infamous Okeno pirates. The Society must sneak a team of agents through one of the largest slave markets on the Inner Sea and track the slippery mastermind to her base if they are to successfully capture the villain, and Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin has just the team of Pathfinders in mind for the task. Can the PCs defeat this remote slave ring without becoming slaves themselves?
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Nilah is no stranger to the trade of souls, or (more directly) the bodies that house them. Having come from such a situation, the idea sickens her but for the longest time she's simply avoided exposure to it. Lately though, it seemed like the Society was hell-bent on putting her back into contact with that dark reality of Inner-Sea life. Or maybe they value her perspective on it. She's pretty sure she hasn't told anybody at the lodge this story about herself...
A tiefling approaches the reception area and sits on one of the counches across from a gnome. The (seemingly) young woman has completely black hair that would disappear into the inky black void that the stars fill. Her skin is a very light red, almost pink as if a red gel had been placed over a lantern as it shined on typical light skin. There are a couple of random places on her body where deep blue veins show through, including on her face. In a few other places she has tattoos of blue-stemmed roses to match and mask those veins. To top all that off are deep red eyes and dark brown horns that betray her Div heritage. Given that her appearance is too extraordinary to pass as anything remotely non-tiefling, she does not bother coiling up or otherwise hiding her tail, that is tipped with barbs. Despite all of these features which make her stand out, she is attractive in face and form.
Currently she wears a long, billowy, gray cloak that covers up her clothing underneath, but seems airy enough to retain comfort. The hood is thrown back.
She tries to offer a warm smile to the gnome. When she speaks, there is an obvious Qadiran accent. Hello, I'm Nilah. I understand we are to go to a place where they do horrible things to many people, treating them as property. It will be... hard to be there and tolerate the situation while we work to subvert it.
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The door slowly creaks open and a frog-like humanoid, about two feet tall, ambles in. He has the yellow and black markings of a poison dart frog, however, he appears almost ghost-like due to his creepy translucent skin. You can even see his little heart beating and lungs breathing, as well as various other internal organs within, underneath his slick skin.
A wide-brimmed sun hat made of straw covers his head to keep the sun out of his bulbous eyes. He wears exotic leather armor covered with silvery hexagonal plates and a composite longbow of Mwangi craftsmanship is slung over his back. At one hip is a primitive looking shortsword knapped from glossy black stone and a finely crafted mahogany hafted morningstar hangs at the other hip.
He holds up a little webbed hand in greeting and gives a friendly smile to those present.
"Hi. Me Muddy."
Suddenly noticing the halfling with a pitcher of water, he rushes up, and with hands reaching out, waits impatiently for the halfling to set it down. Before she can set it on the counter, he brusquely grabs the large decanter with his tiny hands and guzzles the contents.
"Sorry. Me far from swamp."
He says sheepishly as he wipes his chin with his sleeve.
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A tall man of Taldan descent enters the room, carrying two bundles of gear. He sets them down in the corner and makes his way to the other gathered.
blessings of the Dawnflower on you all...I am Goran, of the Cassomir Baldaros'...delighted to meet you all... he says with a genuine smile. Those familiar with eastern tattoos notice the edge of an intricate design of Sarenrae's symbol on his chest peaking out from his shirt, likely covering his heart. A Wayang styled hoop earring dangles from his ear.
He notices the grippli mention being a long way from the swamp.
If you need water, I can create it if needed... he says s he fills the jug up with a wave of his hand and muttered prayer.
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After a long awkward pause, Muddy wanders over to Jaakko. He stares in wonder at the long firearm slung over the lad's back.
"What's that long, funny-looking tube on your back?"
He hesitantly reaches out to poke at the gun, but pulls his arm back in fear of the strange thing.
"Its a musket, my personal weapon. Very powerful when fired accurately at enemy's weak point, though these break quite often." he says with pride in his voice
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A dwarf with black hair and pale skin wearing hide armor marches in, carrying a very long hammer of fine dwarven craftsmanship.
He nods at everyone and introduces himself briefly.
"My name is Dimak Doomhammer."
Then his eyes fall upon the empty pitcher.
"What? No refreshments left?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.
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As a clock chimes the hour, Ambrus Valsin opens the door to admit his guests then resumes his seat next to a grey-eyed woman wearing the robes of an academic. He sends over his assistant to help carry any refreshments or equipment in. He quickly takes the jug of water and puts it on the table in the next room.
“Please seat yourselves quickly so we can begin. This is Lady Darchana Madinani, archdean of Absalom’s premier school of the arcane, the Arcanamirium. She’s has come to the Pathfinder Society on delicate business.”
Lady Darchana bows and introduces herself again to any Pathfinders she has met previously but quickly begins briefing the group.
“As Second Spell Lord of Absalom, I continually investigate magical attempts to attack our home. The Pathfinder Society recently aided one of my investigations by capturing a disguised Okeno slave ship used for several months to transport various unfortunates to Absalom for sale as slaves to the city’s noble families. Normally this would be legal, yet it seems someone has marked each of these slaves for use as divination foci. I can’t ignore the threat posed by such an insidious spy network. With the capture of that ship, we’re now in an excellent position to strike back at the hidden mastermind behind the slave-scrying." she says pausing to clench her fist as she speaks.
“Know that I do not come to the Pathfinder Society lightly. I am taking on a calculated political risk by asking you to handle this investigation for me. But my long friendship with your master of spells Aram Zey has given me confidence in the abilities—and discretion—of Pathfinder agents. Using my own spells, I acquired an image of the slaver: a humanoid woman wearing a heavy veil and peering into a mirror. Her clothing is common in Kelish fashion, and I could sense her location was somewhere underground on Stonespine Island."
She takes time to point out the location on a map rolled out on the meeting table before continuing on.
“Although we could pursue conventional means of tracking down the slavers, I have taken measures to ensure our quarry does not see you coming, and I would appreciate a similar effort from you. I propose disguising yourselves either as slaves for sale or possibly the slavers selling them. If successful, you need only allow our enemy’s agents to escort you to their hidden stronghold. Once inside, it should be a modest challenge for you to escape and take their leader by surprise.” Lady Darchana pauses for emphasis. “Your goals are to capture the veiled spymaster and to bring the scrying mirror I observed back to Absalom for further study. If the spymaster dies before she is brought here, that would be regrettable but also understandable.”
Ambrus clears his throats as she finishes. “Before you get too concerned,” Ambrus adds quickly, “it isn’t the Society’s practice to sell our field agents into slavery. We’re sending you with a reliable cover story and a magical edge we can discuss in a moment. This isn’t just because it’s a dangerous assignment; we also found the name ‘Muhlia’ associated with the captured Okeno ship. It’s not a common name, but if you haven’t kept up with recent history, I can understand why you may not remember her. Pasha Muhlia al’Jakri was an associate of ours who represented Qadira’s interests to the Pathfinder Society. Three years ago, she departed following very ugly circumstances in Taldor and hasn’t been seen since. If it’s true that she’s building a spy network in Absalom, we need to head off the threat she poses to the society before she can strike.”
Knowing that the briefing was long and dense, they pause awaiting any questions.
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The tiefling purses her lips and frowns, before pointing out They will no doubt notice a ship that has gone missing. I expect this then puts them on heightened alert.
She then recoils very obviously at the suggestion to go in as prospective slaves.
Do you understand how consequential that ploy is, if it goes wrong? We would disappear into that world for good and you would have a hard time tracking us down again! There is a hint of emotion in her voice.
She tries to calm down a bit. I suppose if we went in as slavers, we could perhaps acquire and free many individuals. I loath this role as well, but I recognize its utility to more safely infiltrate their operation. This would be my preference.
She turns her head to look out the window, still a little heated.
"Modest challenge"... she huffs under her breath. We play with fire here.
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Not able to think of any questions --the briefing was quite detailed-- Muddy glances around at his companions.
He nervously wonders who will act as the slaves and who will be the slavers. Being small in stature with strange skin and of an exotic race, Muddy can only guess who'll be a slave. He also glances at the gnome.
"Uh oh. Me don't like where this is going."
He thinks to himself as he looks up at the bigger folk.
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Ambrus and Darchana exchange glances then shake their head.
“We do have a detailed report from Rilla, a Pathfinder who spent some time as a prisoner of our enemies. Rilla remembers being separated from the other Pathfinders while in Katapesh, taken to Okeno, then marched inland to a little fort with a lot of gnolls. The gnolls deferred to a humanoid woman who always wore a heavy veil that concealed her head and face. At least once, the veiled woman used surgical tools to take some of Rilla’s blood. Rilla vaguely recalls lessons on how to serve multi-course meals and help nobles into and out of fancy clothes. When the veiled woman was satisfied with Rilla’s progress, the gnolls marched her and several other slaves back to Okeno and put her on a ship bound for Absalom called the Kat Season."
He sighs then offers his apologies, "I know that gives little information on the spymaster but that is the only report of substance. The journal does give some more information about the gnolls under them though. They tend to nap or just relax during the day, trying to avoid being given chores. At night, they’re more active and alert, and usually several of them leave the fort to go hunting. Rilla wished she could help us more, but her memory of the last few months is hazy. We found and removed a curse placed on her to weaken her resistance to divination, which may also explain this memory issue.”
At this point Darchana speaks up, "However if it is Muhlia al'Jakri behind this then they should know more about her. Muhlia is a resourcefulnegotiator and agent who was known for nursing grudges even before she disappeared. She has ties with Aspis and the Desimire brothers all of which favor deception and ambushes, so be on your guard.”
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Ambrus Valsin excitedly rubs his hands together at the new question from Perrine. His businesslike expression is shattered by a prideful grin. Remembering the seriousness of the situation, he attempts to regain his stoic composure.
“Thought you’d never ask! I’ve brought one of our experiments out of development for a field test,” he explains while planting a boot on an unremarkable cedar chest. “This is a magic chest warded in much the same way as our craftspeople sometimes enchant small pouches. From the outside, it’s nonmagical and holds whatever you put in it as expected. However, if you speak the right command word before it’s opened, it instead accesses a secret, extradimensional space that can hold several hundred pounds of gear. It’s yours to use on this trip and should help smuggle most of your gear through Okeno. The forged paperwork we’re sending with you notes the chest is part of the shipment.”
Valsin demonstrates the chest’s use and command word. “Anything else you want to bring needs to be something
you can hide on your person and keep hidden.”
Lady Darchana nods her approval and adds, “I can also shrink one essential tool or weapon for each of you. It
should provide you enough of an edge in breaking out and recovering the rest of your gear.”
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Lady Darchana speaks up to answer the question of Goran, "The extent and exact method of divination isn't know to us. Till we can capture the spymaster it is risky to examine any of the unfortunate souls or the plan could be compromised."
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The tiefling turns back, still with a thread of sternness in her voice about the situation.
Will there be another team nearby in case things go horribly wrong and we need a more forceful extraction? By the way, Can we get a look at the journal ourselves?
The tiefling focuses for a moment and her eyes glow golden yellow for several moments. As this display emerges, her fingertips grow into razor-sharp claws.
I can get by without my blade... to an extent.
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Muddy hops up and down and laughs with excited croaks as his bow is shrunk down to a miniscule size.
"Mrak, mrak, mrak!!! So tiny!"
He tucks the tiny bow into the pocket of his cloak. He then stores the rest of his belongings in the secret compartment of the large chest.
At the mention of the Desimire brothers, Muddy thinks if he's heard of them, or maybe even had run-ins with them in the past.
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But... that's just water! That doesn't count as 'refreshment'! At least not for a dwarf...
Dimak face falls, but the timely arrival of Ambrus Valsin prohibits a vocal outburst from the dwarf.
The barbarian listens to the briefing and thinks a bit, then he hands over his longhammer to be shrunk.
"Please shrink this hammer - it is likely too long to be used on the ship anyway."
He puts the tiny hammer in a pocket, then turns to his comrades.
"I think nobody is going to believe that I'm a slave anyway, so I should pose as a slaver. And I'm way more useful when I have my equipment. Maybe I could pass as Jaakko's right hand who does the dirty work... Do you agree?"
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Nilah grits her teeth, finally confirming
I don't really love any of this. But I will regretfully accept the "role" of slaver. I... cannot yield control in the other way way ever again. For those of you who are... I can only tell you that this taste of it will be a despicable experience. It will stay with you forever.
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After removing all of his gear, his armor, and even his clothing, Muddy stands there in just a loincloth and stares up at the group. *blink, blink*
His translucent skin is quite an eerie sight.
He tucks his tiny bow into the front of his loincloth.
"So, uhh, how we gonna do this?"
*Blink, blink*
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"Good, I know it isn't ideal but as always Pathfinders step up to cooperate." Valsin states with a confident nod.
As the group prepares to leave, Major Colson Madris opens the door. He scans the room till he sees Dimak and nods, placing more maps onto the table.
"Dimak, I have heard about your participation in Darchana’s plan, and I’m proud to know that you’re involved. Daring acts like these strike terror in the hearts of slavers and give hope to the subjugated. I know you’re unlikely to have—or leave—many witnesses, but if you can strike fear into the hearts of this villainous operation’s leadership, strike down the more dangerous and oppressive slavers in a dramatic way, or just be seen battling in the defense of the oppressed, we can share your exploits and inspire a new wave of freedom fighters.”
He considers his advice for a moment and adds, “But don’t throw your life away trying to burn Okeno to the ground. Pick your fights carefully, and return a hero.”
The maps are of Cheliax.
Someone has circled the cities of Pezzack and Westcrown.
He quickly salutes his agent and scoops the maps up to leave.
Venture-Captain Valsin sighs, "Next time at least knock!"
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The group also has the chance to brainstorm any information about the gnoll slavers, to better prepare for the mission.
known for using flail-like weapons called flindbars.