Dot in Here
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The hills ringing Almas, capital of Andoran, slope gently toward the harbor cradling the Hornet’s Nest, the red sun rising behind them. This morning the ship’s activity rivals its namesake as Pathfinders and their agents bustle here and there inside the ship’s hastily constructed command post.
After a short wait, Venture-Captain Dennel Hamshanks rolls into the ship’s galley, his face scowling and dark eyes bloodshot.
“You lot again? The Decemvirate promised better, but I suppose we have no time to waste.
You have likely heard the rumors—which, unfortunately, underestimate our danger.
“The Society’s lodge in the former Cathedral of Aroden
here has thrived of late—they say thanks to Venture-Captain
Brackett’s grand parties, which seduce the weak-willed leaders
of this so-called ‘democracy’ into permitting the Pathfinder
Society unfettered access to the resources in the nation’s
interior. Not likely you lot were ever invited, though. Needed to be of the presentable sort, after all.
“Last night, Brackett threw one of his most extravagant fetes
yet to celebrate the recent return of a team of Pathfinders up
near Falcon’s Hollow on a diplomatic mission to the region’s
fey. Fillian over there claims that all the sparkling light made the
Cathedral’s windows a stunning sight. Everyone was having a grand time until the trouble started. At the stroke of midnight, a dozen guests drew their swords and methodically massacred the others—poor, drunk fools. A moment later the lights went out. Fillian had been admiring the windows from the dome’s walkway and ran upward, to the belfry. Says he hid there until daylight and then crawled out to my ship here. He heard many others flee underground, followed by screams of agony.
“Shortly before dawn, several bands of what looked to be hulking, cloaked hobgoblins left the Cathedral, taking off in different directions into the city. Not only do we need to retake our lodge and rescue any survivors, but whatever those monsters plan to do in Almas, it’s got something to do with the Cathedral. I imagine even you understand how that might look for the Society if something bad were to happen to the city at large, centered on our local headquarters.
“You can probably guess who’s behind this—the Shadow Lodge, source of endless trouble this past year. We need that Lodge back, and we need Brackett alive. Time is not on our side here, and I fear it may already be too late for whatever those monstrous brutes left the Cathedral to do.
“According to Fillian’s tale, the best way in is the belfry. So your job is to get in there, kick the Shadow Lodge out, and keep Brackett alive. And put a stop to whatever ongoing plot you manage to uncover.
“Good luck. You’ll need it.”
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Igor shrugs at the beginning of another mission briefing. This one does not seem at all unusual to his ears considering the weird adventures he has been on but it is still a job to do and perhaps there might be some good treasure in it as well.
"Alright. We are ready to go."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Tiny Pebble stands with his master. The rocky earth elemental really does not see the point of these briefings. Granted he does not understand their language but still it is always (or almost always) the same drill. Beat up some bad guys or bring back some item that the society needs. His master has explained it to him many times.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
She looks at you all. Glad you are ready to deal with the shadow lodge. She then looks at Jilla to answer her question.
“There’s lots of ways to approach without being seen from any of those narrow grimy windows. I’d scurry across the plaza from the northwest. It’s easy to climb up to the roof, and there’s a loose grate partway up the belfry—should be easy to slip inside there, even for big folks like yourselves.”
As a Pathfinder you would know about the Shadow Lodge automatically.
|
I say, blooming typical of Andoran. I can practically feel the place sliding into anarchy and disorder. Why, before you know it, we'll have another Galt on our hands. Bad form, bad form!
Marcus shakes his head, disapprovingly.
Still, bally good excuse to deal with some bounders, eh?
To VC Hamshanks and Fillian, Marcus asks:
Did you see any other symbols or hear any chants or slogans? Any signs of a group that the Shadow Lodge might have partnered with?
To the team, he will pat his trusty matchlock and say:
Lead on!
He looks at Marcus for a minute thinking about it, then answers. Symbols, well of course the traditional Shadow Lodge symbol.
Any other groups, not that I know if, but it wouldn't surprise me.
You move onto the Cathedral. It is locked and barred.
A flat gray stone ledge runs along the edge of the cathedral’s roof, crisscrossed with rain gutters feeding the leering grotesques that ring the building. Toward the south side, the ledge surrounds a gently peaked roof above the long rectangular nave. Two solid towers jut upward at the south end, their severe stone sides broken only occasionally by narrow, barred stained glass windows.
At the north end a lofty dome covered with deep red copper shingles dominates the structure. The graceful edifice peaks in a twisting stone tower with a golden turret, from which the Pathfinder Society’s Glyph of the Open Road banner hangs limply in the still air. The tower has four large windows arranged vertically on each side, all protected by corroded iron grates. Through the grates hang several bells, ranging in size from large to gigantic.
|
|
Hmm. Anyone here capable of magically keeping noise down? I've got a way to deal with obstructions...
Marcus meaningfully hoists his firearm, as he also surveys the building looking for another way in.
I'm not averse to a climb, though I'll have to leave ol' Bork here. Flight, ironically, not one of her gifts. Except that one time.
Igor examines the church..Mud brick, stone and the roof has thatch
There is no sewer grate, as Marcus looks around but there is a grate someone else,
The belfry contains nine large bells hanging from a maze of wooden beams. Four relatively small bells hang from a beam at the tower’s top, with the others increasing in size toward the tower’s bottom. Weather and rust coat most of them, especially the seven-foot-wide behemoth of a bell at the tower’s base.
A complex network of scaffolding frames the bells, with each suspended from wooden sliders attached to a system of ropes and pulleys along the tower’s walls. These beams connect to scaffolding along the vertical chamber’s perimeter, allowing access to the bells above and a platform five feet below the giant bell’s bottom.
|
|
Igor nods and looks at the gnome that he has adventured with before.
"Perhaps Jilla can help us here."
The wizard takes advantage of the slight pause to ready himself and his familiar for potential conflict (with the assumption that this can be done safely and discretely).
Igor
Blood Boiling Pill taken
Heightened Awareness scroll cast
Mage Armor scroll cast
False Life from wand
Tiny Pebble
Mage Armor scroll cast on Tiny Pebble
The Bell goes off for 1 minute and it is pretty loud, you're pretty sure everyone in a mile radius has heard you.
You are in room 4 on the newley post map and here is the description.
A splendidly carved marble corridor cuts through the center of this chamber, connecting a pair of huge bronze doors to the south to a pair of colorful wooden doors to the north. Freshly painted images of the sun cover the latter, while a massive barricade of broken shelves and upturned tables blocks the southern doors—clearly the main entrance to the cathedral. Oddly, the piled furniture actually cuts through not only the arches lining the corridor but also the columns that support them, as if they were insubstantial.Beyond these arches, two dim stone rooms flank the central corridor, packed with pile upon pile of books, tomes, and scrolls. Although dozens of shelves stand throughout, most of the books are scattered haphazardly on the floor, many torn or otherwise damaged.
Tiny Pebble notices any vibrations in the floor so if there is anyone (or anything) nearby he should detect it.
His eyes sparkle and he smiles at Jilla as he helps her clear a path.
A thorough search of this area, or a DC 25 Perception check, allows you to find a small scrap of paper inscribed with the following: “sunset: 4–4–3–9–9–7–2–1–”
Removing the barricade in front of the door takes 1 hour divided by how many people are helping.
Igor looks at the scrap of paper.
Everyone helps and in 10 minutes, you clear the rubble. You can now exit out the building to the south, head up some stairs, or go through the doors to the north.
You go through the north doors. You see a wall at the other end. Nothing of interest in here, the benches, but you can clearly see under the benches and no treasure, you can check for hidden doors, but there are none.
At the southern end of the congregation hall, an ornate choir loft sits twenty feet above the ground, joined to the narrow balcony encircling the nave and dome. The richly decorated wall panels depict scenes of strangely dressed men, while the low marble balustrade shows human figurescelebrating. Many of these scenes have suffered recent damage, with stone shards and a broken bannister littering the floor. Several smashed glass cases line the room, numerous swords of widely varying styles and construction poking out of them.
Along the Cathedral’s south wall, a ten-foot-wide rose window glitters with the sun, bathing the loft in light. A number of red figures surround a strange white shape against the window’s blue background.
A spiral staircase leads down and a pair of doors lead east and west.
Perception checks, history checks and religion checks if you can make them. Also, place your tokens in room 5
Rpg chornicles.
Tiny Pebble looks around as well.
@DoubleGold - Tiny Pebble has Tremorsense 60' so if anyone is touching the ground nearby he will know. :)