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1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend. If you disappear for more than 24 hours, especially during combat, I will simply place your character on infinite delay just to keep things moving.
2) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.
3) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same. Real life happens, and real life will always take priority over the game, but out of fairness for your fellow players, please let us know if you will be unavailable for an extended period of time.
4) Please complete the Macros and the Slides linked at the top of the page.
5) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.
6) Let's have some fun and tell a great story together! After all, that's what we are here for.
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As you check into the Lodge in Absalom, you spot the following message on the board:
"I need some agents to travel with me to the Shackles on an important mission that will affect the future of the Society in western Garund. I need people who aren't well-known as being Pathfinders, so you'll do. Meet me at the Glorious Payoff as soon as you can."
It is signed "Capt. Calisro Benarry" and has note of which pier the ship is docked at.
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"A voyage? To the Shackles? Sailors and taverns? A magnificent idea! To the sea!"
The dashing male human half-sings his conversation with himself. Of average height and wearing studded leathers over a fashionable, pirate-like outfit, he places his wide-brimmed hat back on his head.
He has a duelling sword at his left hip and an odd-looking lantern on the right. He moves with grace and gives a dazzling smile to anyone he sees. A hand crossbow is attached to the side of his backpack.
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"Ah, I miss the sea breeze." he says while yawning. A green kobold carrying a steel shield and a spear is walking near the lodge in Absalom when he finds something posted on it, and he reads what is written on it. Shackles? This is my chance to get back close to the sea. isn't it?" he tells himself. Seeing a young man looking at the post as well, he asks him, "Well, hello, handsome man. I am Schek Nek. You can just call me Schek. It seems you are also interested on that," pointing at the post using his spear. "I hope you don't mind if I come along with you."
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"I LOVE company! I can almost taste the adventure on the high seas and in the raucous taverns! I'm Max, Max Val'Doon, entertainer and cunning agent." he bows with a flourish.
As they are at the Grand Lodge and Max is accustomed to seeing all manner of weird, he just assumes everyone has useful talents and should be there.
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A young, male human stands reading the board. His muscular arms and armor and shield suggest he is a fighter. "Hmm, I feel more comfortable with my feet on solid ground, but I don't see any other options right now," he says out loud to no one in particular.
When some other Pathfinders express interest in the same mission, he turns to greet them. "I'm Gunthar. Seems we might be going on a trip together," he says with a smile.
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Mal seems to be truly enjoying her stroll, not flinching aside in the least from sea spray or stranger. Her fiery hair is worn up in a simple bun to keep it out of her way, matching the practical lightweight armor she wears, and the healer's tools strapped in easy-to-reach places around her. She bears a daggers at her hip, and a shield on her back, but doesn't seem to pay them much mind.
When she sees the other Pathfinders, she hurries over, short legs churning as since she's arriving late she at least tries to arrive out of breath. "Hello! Hi, I'm Mal! Ah, hello!" She cycles through greeting the other agents.
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As you get to know one another, a tall woman approaches. She is a half-orc dressed like a fashionable sea captain, complete with tricorn hat.
"Ah. You must be the Pathfinders heading to the Shackles. Get aboard. I'll brief you on the way."
As a splash of salt crashes over the bow of the Glorious Payoff, Calisro Benarry deftly steers her ship through a hidden channel, carefully navigating through the barely visible rock and coral that protrude slightly from the water’s surface. Behind the Payoff, a slightly smaller ship—the Sea Sparkle—follows, making every effort to follow Benarry’s course as closely as possible. Off the port hull, the deep green of the Garundi coast is illuminated by the late afternoon sun.
"See those gulls?" Benarry shouts over the flapping of the sails, "that’s the sandbar we’ll be dropping you off at. Barely sticks up over the waves, but the seabirds flock over it to feast on crab. As I explained earlier, Vidrian—you might have known it as Sargava not that long ago—needs explorers to chart the trade routes to the south that they couldn’t use back when it was ruled by Cheliax. Simple enough bit of adventuring, but the new nation’s been having trouble with the Free Captains of late. Turns out when Vidrian broke free of Cheliax, the locals stopped paying the pirates protection money, and now they’re the number-one plunder target in the Shackles. What’s more, the pirates have set up a blockade preventing our ships from making it down to Vidrian to assist."
"Thankfully, we’ve got someone on the inside. Stella Fane, a Free Captain with ties to the Firebrands and the Pirate Council, has been in contact with the Society. She and members of the Society’s leadership have put together a fairly clever plan to help the Society’s ships pass through the pirate blockades unharmed. The Wind and the Waves willing, the Payoff and the Sparkle can sail to Vidrian, no problem. While we’re doing that, I’ve arranged transport for you to Port Peril to meet with Fane and get her to sign this contract making the whole thing official—she may be a pirate, but she’s the kind that holds to her word. You’ll need to avoid drawing too much attention until after the deal is done. Once she’s signed the contract her friends in the Pirate Council will ratify it and there won’t be much the lesser captains can do. Be careful. Anyone looking to put a stop to this need only ensure that contract never gets signed."
"It’s a long-term trade agreement; we tell her where we’ve had reports of slavers—she hates them and it’s no skin off Society members' backs to let her know—and she approaches us first with any information she receives regarding archaeological sites and historical discoveries. Our obligation requires us to make the information exchange each time one of our ships passes through the Shackles, so attacking a Pathfinder ship is the same as attacking Stella and her allies on the Pirate Council. Smartest deal we’ve made, if you ask me."
"Careful with that contract, by the way. It’s all magicked shut, so only Fane can read and sign it. Now if there isn't anything else, you can all jump overboard and swim to the sandbar."
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Along the way, Max has flirted with Benarry and enjoyed sailing and leading the crew in sea shanties.
"Do we know her favourite tavern or do we work our way around them all? But otherwise, find Fane, get her to sign, don't lose the contract or end up dead?"
Before diving off the side,
"This certainly isn't the weirdest way I've ever got to a gig."
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Mal leans her head back and laughs with delight at Benarry's plan. "So many tricks and agreements just to get everyone to do what they already wanted. And she'll be bound to it by a contract, but only then because we trust her word in any case?"
Grinning from ear to ear she shakes her head in bemusement.
"Well, if this path is clear to you, I have no aversion to walking it."
Mal eyes the surf a little dubiously, and tightens the straps of her gear before the group jumps overboard.
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Gunthar listens to the captain, doing his best to stay standing. While his ability to move around on the boat had improved during the trip, he still didn't feel as comfortable as others.
"Do we know of anyone who would like to keep the contract from being signed? Is the transport you arranged picking us up on the sandbar? And who should we be looking for?," he asks as he glances nervously over at the sandbar.
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Max attempts to pry the lid open. As he heaves on the lid, he hears a loud crack and the sound of something sloshing within. As Schek Nek hurries over and forces the lid, you all behold a smashed bottle of what was once a beautiful bottle of what smells like rum. Unfortunately, the bottle is broken and the contents all over the box.
The tide comes in as you wait on the sandbar, eventually leaving you standing in a few inches of water in the middle of the ocean. About an hour later, a small boat appears, sailed by an elderly dwarven woman. She anchors the boat at the sandbar and begins moving around sacks of shellfish and crab traps to make room in the cramped vessel. She looks over at you.
"So you younguns are jus' gonna watch an old woman move all this without helping? I figgered you younglings would at least help out an old lady. If you wanna get going to Port Peril now, get over here and help move this stuff around to make some room! Hlar's the name, by the way."
"Y'know, Calisro Benarry made me come out here earlier than normal so you might as well help me row!"
Hlar sails her boat in a meandering path to shore along the submerged rock formations. Occassionally, she would suddenly jump overboard and dive to the bottom of the ocean and returns with an oyster, sea urchin, or squid.
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Hlar’s boat arrives in Port Peril around sunset. As you drift into Crescent Harbor, sailors disembarking for shore leave remain clearly visible, singing rowdily as they work. Hlar soon lands at a smaller dock to unload her catch and gestures at Fane’s ship in one of the docks—the Risen Albatross.
"Stella has a penchant for riotous nights on the town once she’s returned to port are well known. But I don't know where the kids go these days. You can talk to the harbormaster, Tsojmin Kreidoros. He might have a better idea of where Fane disappeared to."
Tsojmin, a dwarf, is close by, checking off tasks written in a ledger. Hlar points him out to you and sends you on your way.
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Gunthar begins to worry as the water starts to cover the sandbar. "Did something happen to the person who was supposed to pick us up? What are we going to do now?" he thinks to himself as he watches the water for any signs of creatures that may want to make the group a meal.
When he sees the small boat, he instinctively raises his hands to wave it down. "I hope that's the person coming to get it but at this point I don't care. I just want off this sandbar."
"Am I glad to see you," Gunthar says once the boat draws near. "I'm Gunthar. If you are taking us to Port Peril, I'll help with whatever you need," he says as he moves over to help make room in the boat.
Gunthar disembarks as soon as he can, relieved to be on solid ground. He thanks Hlar for picking them up and for the information.
"How do we want to try to deal with the harbormaster? I'd rather hold on to my coin if possible, but if it comes to it, I'll pitch in," he says quietly to the group.
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Straightening himself up, Max casually swans over to the harbourmaster, smiling the whole time.
"Good day, sir! Are you OK to speak right now?" Max does not actually pause to let the dwarf answer. "I'll make this quick so I don't get in your way. You have the air of someone with authority and knowledge. You don't happen to know where Captain Stella Fane would be drinking tonight, do you?"
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The harbormaster looks up and sees Max grinning at him.
"Eh? Stella Fane. y'say?! She's at the Last Catch tonight. When you see her, tell her she still owes me in docking fees! Be off with ya then!"
Turning around toward the harbor, the you can clearly see that one of the docks leads out to a small islet. Walking down the dock, they find themselves at an open-air tavern with a large open space facing the sea. Several fishing boats have docked directly at the restaurant, unloading both ingredients and customers. Many of the patrons appear to be amphibious or otherwise from aquatic ancestries, and a few enjoy their drinks while bobbing up and down in the water off the pier. In a corner, you see Stella polishing off an absolutely massive plate of what looks to be calamari.
As you enter, Stella notices you and beckons you to her table.
"Ah, you’re just in time! Like little baby cleaner fish, not knowing that the shark might decide it wants a meal more than sparkling teeth. Let’s see what we’re dealing with. But first, a toast!"
Stella orders a round of drinks and offers them to you. Who partakes in the toast (and who does not wish to drink alcohol)?
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"Well that was easier than I thought it would be," Gunthar says as they walk away from the harbormaster and look for the Last Catch. Entering the bar, he is happy to see Stella motioning them over to her table. Not wanting to insult her by declining the drink, he picks up his cup to partake in the toast.