|
It isn’t every day that one receives an invitation to the Karcau Opera House, with the ticket prices being what they are—not to mention the cost of seats in a private box. Of course, as soon as the usher leads the PCs to their seats, it becomes obvious why the Society has sent them to enjoy a night at the opera.
Already seated within the private booth, a lean Ustalavic noblewoman waits, watching the show with detached enthusiasm. She turns slowly, the crimson of her elegant gown a contrasting starkly with her dark hair, pale skin, and sharp features. She motions to nearby seats and dismisses the attending usher.
Thank you for coming. I am Venture-Captain Basia Kalistoff, currently without a home lodge. The Decemvirate requested that I speak with you here, in private, to discuss a problem that needs sorted out. I trust you’ve heard of Skeldon Miregrold?
|
Ooh...the opera! Carlin says excitedly when she gets her summons. She dresses in her best outfit and makes sure her hair is done right before she heads to the hall.
Nice to meet you, ma'am. The name doesn't ring a bell...but then again, I've been kind of busy... she says as she wracks her brain to see if the name pops up in her memory.
|
|
"Opera? Is this a joke?" Gery mutters to himself when he receives the invitation. "And I left my fineries at my countryside estate!" He laughs.
Once he has arrived (having scrounged up a courtier's outfit sized for him) he nods appreciatively at the attractive sorcerer before focusing on business at hand.
"Skeldon Miregold? Uhh, should I have?"
|
Rogarch enters with the others and is not accustomed to such finery. Her newly won monk's robe covers her well-crafted breastplate. Rogarch's long blond hair pools at the nape of her neck and her crystal clear blue eyes sparkle with the excitement of a new mission.
This warrior is not at all impressed with the lack of security and privacy of this meeting place. Rogarch finds a suitable and discrete position to stand watch over the party and the venture captain while still being able to participate in the meeting.
She nods and agrees with the gnome's comments.
"Perhaps a bit of background information about this person would be helpful."
"Instead of guessing."
As she glances at Gery.
Sitting on top of Rogarch's shoulder is a strange looking scorpion-like creature. The creature is obviously awash in positive emotion and is waving enthusiastically at everyone in joyous greeting.
|
Anastasia wanders into the meeting absent-mindedly.
She walks with slow steps and is not the most agile woman although she is clearly beautiful. Her almond eyes and her blonde hair show her mixed heritage from the Inner Sea Region and Tian Xia.
When she meets the VC she waves her hand.
"Greetings to you." says the beaming woman with a contagious smile.
She is wearing a breastplate armor that clearly encumbers her heavily and with which she walks slowly. A small buckler is attached to her left arm. She also carries a backpack.
Resting on top of her chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Pharasma is visible.
She really has a natural presence when she bows to you all out of tradition and courtesy.
“Anastasia Shoi-Ming is my name! A pleasure to meet you all.“
|
|
A muscular dwarf in a basic yet a little exotic outfit (sandals, breeches and a loose shirt, bound together with sashes) enters with the other pathfinders.
His hair, beard and skin are light brown - nearly the same tone as his clothes.
On him you can see some rather uncommon weapons: three sticks of metal, connected by short chains, and also a sword with several branches.
Oddly, there is an uncommon holy symbol visible on a very short cord around his neck: a small stone dagger.
Well, how should I know of this... whatever it is? A person, a place? Come on, just spit it out! I don't like to play games...
The dwarf bows his head and speaks:
"Hello. I am Baldrum Battlehand. I don't think I've heard of Skeldon Miregrold. Who - or what - is it?"
|
|
Miregrold is a disreputable and duplicitous rogue of my own, noble, Ustalavic blood—my second cousin, in fact, though I’m loathe to admit it. He’s also quite renowned in our little Society, though again, few would boast of associating with him. When his father passed, Skeldon invested most of his sizable inheritance in illicit trade operations with the dark denizens that dwell below this city. Though he is valuable as a font of knowledge about the subterranean passages below—and the Darklands in general—he’d sell out his dying mother if he thought he could profit from it.
Despite my personal warnings, the Decemvirate granted him permission to open a lodge in Karcau, though this grant came with several stipulations. As I’d suspected, none of these conditions have been met. The Society requested Skeldon send them his research notes along with some samples of a rare mineral he’s being experimenting with called aureolyte. Neither the notes nor the samples ever arrived. Furthermore, it’s been a month since Skeldon contacted the Decemvirate, who are increasingly concerned about the additional finances they granted him to conduct his research. Other sources have led us to believe he has squandered this money for his own purposes and owes significant sums to one of Karcau’s most influential crime families.
That’s what we need you for. Make your way to the Karcau Lodge and present Skeldon with these transfer orders. She slides a stack of sealed envelopes across the table. Once inside, try to collect whatever information you can about Skeldon, his side deals, and the kind of trouble he’s in. It would be even better if you could procure copies of his research and a sample of aureolyte. The Manor sits on a sizable hillside property just south of town. Any questions?
|
|
Rogarch seems slightly confused. She is a warrior first and foremost and she struggles with these types of political machinations.
"Sure, we can deliver the letters as you ask but if he is in so much trouble why should he care about these transfer orders? Or are they simply a pretext to get us inside the lodge?"
|
|
Gery nods in greetings to the remainder of the group, This sounds to me like a simple and straightforward mission...which means it won't be." he mutters quietly.
He nods in agreement to Rogarch, "Yeah sounds right to me. We just need to get into the Lodge, doesn't matter how." Noting the striking lady looking him over he shuffles nervously and quickly averts his gaze.
I don't think I have ever seen a...scorpion? like that before! He decides to give it a friendly wave, but not too close to it.
Helping Hand beams at Gery. He is clearly not your ordinary run-of-the-mill scorpion.
|
|
Before you leave, Venture-Captain Kalistoff leans forward and in a hushed voice says: On a personal note, I was the initial candidate for venture-captain of the Karcau Lodge. Behind my back, Miregrold went to the Decemvirate and bid me out of the position while his agents traveled throughout this city, slandering my reputation. I would love to restore the damage he’s done to my tarnished family name, but he precluded this through his bribes and blackmail. Thus, I have a strong personal interest in seeing the Decemvirate bring him to his knees. If you succeed in this endeavor, you will earn my eternal gratitude. I hope to soon be in a position to make it worth your while. Godspeed.
|
An immaculately dressed elf is let into the box well into the first act of the opera; the usher looks none too happy about it. "Can you believe they weren't going to let me in? Something about curtain call and the thing already starting. He was going to make me wait until intermission!" Though the elf's clothing is perfect, the rest of him is something less than that; he seems somewhat naturally frazzled and unkempt.
But, he did convince an usher at the famed Karcau Opera House to admit him after the performance started, so he must have something going for him.
He catches up quickly, making Venture-Captain Kalistoff repeat much of what she'd already explained, and pulling bits and pieces from the other Pathfinders as well.
He quickly adds a wealth of what he already knows, having deeply studied the area and its politics before making the trip.
|
|
Before you leave, Venture-Captain Kalistoff leans forward and in a hushed voice says: On a personal note, I was the initial candidate for venture-captain of the Karcau Lodge. Behind my back, Miregrold went to the Decemvirate and bid me out of the position while his agents traveled throughout this city, slandering my reputation. I would love to restore the damage he’s done to my tarnished family name, but he precluded this through his bribes and blackmail. Thus, I have a strong personal interest in seeing the Decemvirate bring him to his knees. If you succeed in this endeavor, you will earn my eternal gratitude. I hope to soon be in a position to make it worth your while. Godspeed.
Anastasia is surprised about such an open request.
"I personally understand to be discreet Venture Captain. But the lady of graves does not differentiate between souls and neither do I. We will be fair and should you be right then the truth will be sharp enough!" she says and leaves with her head raised high.
|
|
The muscular warrior nods at the newcomer.
"Welcome Kolris. I am called Rogarch."
She turns to the gnome.
"Certainly you can change first. We are not in that much of a rush."
Assuming that all the pleasantries are over with Rogarch attempts to transition the party away from the mission briefing and towards the mission itself.
|
|
Anastasia suddenly notices the elf and politely bows in Tian fashion.
“Welcome. We did not get your name. And what your experience is, is also unknown to us!“ she says expectantly.
Kolris looks at Anastasia, with an out-of-sorts look as if he's a bit caught off guard. His body returns the Tian bow with perfect form--nearly automatically, as if on auto-pilot--before he speaks. "Kolris, of course, sorry," he responds with jilting pauses, almost as if confused or put out by the question. "I'm a Pathfinder," he concludes after too long of a beat, as if that explains everything one would want to know of his skills or experience.
He nods along as everyone else introduces themselves, awkwardly offering an outstretched hand where no handshakes were offered, or simply not noticing and ignoring the offered handshakes from others.
"So, yeah, I read up on this in preparation..." and continues on with his lengthy and detailed explanation of everything he learned of the local area and its politics.
|
|
What Kolris knows:
Skeldon Miregrold is known throughout the Society for his many discoveries in the dangerous Darklands when he was an active pathfinder. He now operates the Karcau Lodge out of his ancestral manor house.
The Lodge contains a network of subterranean chambers that house most of the Society’s assets at the location and provide access to even larger caverns that stretch out below Karcau.
Within the Society, Miregrold has a reputation for sending more pathfinders to their deaths than any other venture-captain. Some rumors speak of him abusing his privileges and embezzling the Society’s wealth.
Miregrold is an accomplished inventor and alchemist and uses many of the resources at his disposal to experiment on personal pet projects. Pathfinders who recently returned from the Karcau Lodge speak of a strange device he is currently constructing in his secret laboratory.
|
|
Upon arrival ...
The Karcau Lodge is located in the manor of a modest hillside estate just south of the city that overlooks Karcau’s opulent spires and vaulted roofs. A lone cobbled path traverses the property, weaving through copses of dully-colored, gangly trees and overgrown grass. Eventually, the path makes its way toward a small two-story manor house built in the classic Ustalavic style. Its steep roof is shingled with dark slate, and elaborately carved bargeboard highlights its high cross gables. Its lead framed windows rise in slender, cathedral-like arches. A pair of pointed turrets flanks the manor’s thick, iron-shod front doors.
the doors to the lodge are locked (see areas G1 and G7) and all the drapes have been drawn closed.
|
|
Gery looks up at the grim spectacle in front of him, loosening the hilt on his scabbard, his eyes showing no emotion. "I see no reason to announce our presence here. He is up to no good, this I am certain of." Glancing at the hammer wielded by Rogarch he shakes his head quickly, "There should be another way in...perhaps a window."
|
|
Khorshid is completely taken aback.
“This is a pathfinder lodge!! Why should we sneak in!!? That is completely unlawful and I will not approve such actions! We will knock and announce our presence. We will then interview the other Pathfinders and the staff and lastly ask the Venture-Captain what he’s up to. We’ll be discovered anyway! I can’t sneak!“ he says shaking his head as if the idea of breaking and entering is absurd.
|
|
"Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm sure I've got this."
Kolris takes a good long minute to give the door a thorough inspection--not so much out of any fear that a Pathfinder Lodge would be trapped, but out of rigorous and meticulous habit--and then pulls out a very nice set of picks and begins working on getting the lock opened.
|
|
When you pick the lock, you noticed that you are not the first to do so and it seems easier to pick than it should be.
You open the door and enter the main foyer (G2)
Mounted on the wall opposite the main entrance, a stuffed elk’s head glares above a coat of arms. A compass rose inlay fills most of the floor. On either side of the mantle, two separate halls exit south. At the northeast and northwest corners, wide arches open into two turrets.